Full text of "California fruit culture"

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ALIFORNIA

IMPORTANT ESSAYS, DISCUSSIONS, REPORTS, ETC.

— AT THE —

Piftr} Wnnual Oonvention of ©alifornia Pruit tf rowers,
Held under the Auspices of the State Board of Horticulture,

— IN-

LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER, 1885.

Practical Information on t[)e growtl;) of i\)e Branae, Lemon, Fia,
Apple, Plum, Peacb, Pear, Apricot, etc.tl^e destruc-
tion of Insect Pests, and otl^er matters
offectmn tpe Fruit Industry.

OFFICIAL REPORT:

Reported by A. K. Whitton, Stenographer, and furnished to the publishers by authority
of the State Board of Horticulture.

Published by DEWEY & CO,
Proprietors " Pacific Rural Press.
San Francisco, Cal.,
1886.

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Price, 25 Cents, Post Free.

American O'l Co.,

17 and 19 Main Street, San Francisco.

MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS IN ALL KINDS OF

WHALE OIL SOAP,

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ALSO MANUFACTURED AND READY FOR SALE,

The COMPOUND Recommendeil in Dr, Chapin's Bulletin, Ho, 2,

commission

Merchants

AND DEALERS IN-

California and Oregon Produce,

GREEN and DRIED FRUITS.

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Nos. 308 and 310 DAVIS STREET, San Francisco.

(P. O. BOX, 1936.)

FEB 4 191i

GOULD'S HORTICULTURAL SPRAY PUMP.

WITH BAMBOO EXTENSION & SPRAY NOZZLE COMPLETE.

Thi 8 pump we have gotten up expressly for spraying
vines, fruit trees and other shrubbery infested with the
destructive insects which inflict so much injury in or-
chards, vineyards, etc It has been adopted and recom-
mended by the State Horticultural Society. The working
parts are constructed entirely of Brass, and will not be
affected by the corrosive solutions used in them. The
BAMBOO EXTENSION is an admirable invention. The
operator of the Pump, by the use of this extension, can
get to all parts of the tree while on the ground; also sav-
in? himself from getting liis bands and face burnt with
the solution. Tne NOZZLE will save the price of itself
withm a day, as the amount of liquid saved is two-thirds
over any other style in use. It throws a veryj fine mist.
This nozzle is well known by all orchardists.
Write for Prices.

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seats are brass. Our all brass pumps are made entirely of brass with the exception of the lever.
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Horticultural Books.

Issued by DEWEY & CO., Publishers of the Pacific Rural Press

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWER.— A practical Hand-book for the orchardist (in preparation).

CATALOGUE OF EUROPEAN VINES— With synonyms and brief descriptions, by I. Bleasdale,
D. D. Invaluable to those growing the vinifera. Price, in pamphlet, 50 cents.

ORANGE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA— By T. A, Garey, of Los Angeles. The most comprehen-
sive treatise on the growth of this fruit. It contains full instructions for growing the trees, planting
and care of orchards, etc. ; 227 pages. Price, $1.

SILK GROWERS" MANUAL— By W. B. Ewer, A. M. A practical treatise full of useful hints for
beginners in this State; 20 pages. Pamphlet, price 25 cents.

REPORT OF FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1885, postpaid, 25 ct«.

OTiiEK, ^A7'oms:s-

THE AGRICULTURAL FEATURES OF CALIFORNIA, by Prof. Hilgard, 138 large pages, bound

in stiff cloth, with colored maps, $r.oo.
NILES' STOCK AND POTLTRY BOOK, pamphlet, 120 pages, post-paid for 50 cts.
KENDALL'S TREATISE ON THE HORSE AND DISEASES, post-paid for 25 cts.
PICTURESQUE CALIFORNIA HOMES (40 building plans and estimates), post-paid for $3,00.
Sold Wholesale and Retail by

DEWEY & CO., Publishers,

252 Market St., San Francisco.

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ORANGE
CULTURE

A practical treatise by T. A. Garey,
giving the results of long experi-
ence in Southern California. 196
paefes, cloth bound. Sent post-paid
at reduced price of 75 cts. per copy
by DEWEY & CO., Publishers, S. F.

A Treatise on the Horse and his Diseases

By B. J. Kendall, M. D.

35 Fine Engravings showing
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by mail to any address. DEWEY & CO.,

252 Market St., S. F.

The Pacific Rural Press.

The Leading Agricultural Home News-
paper and standard authority branches
of Calijornia Agriculture.

It is the chief medium for the dissemination of in-
formation concerning fruit-growing in Calfornia.

It has the fullest and most accurate Reports of
Horticultural Meetings, and is the best record
of the Experience OF Individual Fruit-Grow-
ERS in all parts of the State.

Its market reports are prepared with care and the
greatest reUability possible for the benefit of the
producer.

The Pacific Rural Press has more circulation
and influence in the Pacific States and Territories
than all the other agricultural weeklies in the United
States combined. Advertisers can reach nearly all
the leading reading farmers through its columns,

A well-known horticulturist who was in attendance
upon the meetings of fruit-growers, writes; "The
greatest praise that could be bestowed on the RURAL
Press at the late Fruit-Growers' Convention, and
which shows, undoubtedly, the well deserved pop-
ularity of that paper, is the fact that almost all the
members of that Convention were subscribers to the
Press."

It is a Farm and Home Journal of the highest
class, pure in tone and well informed on all matters
of industrial interest. It is handsomely printed and
illustrated. It is a 20-page weekly, and is furnished,
postage paid, for $3 per year in advance. Single
copies, 10 cents, prepaid.

Established 1870. Yearly subscription $3. Send
for samples. Address,

DEWEY & CO.. Publishers,
No. 252 Market Street, San Franc^'&'co.

\ln Prt'paraA%on.\

The Caifornia Fruit Grower.

For California.

Readers abroad wishing to know more about the
mild sunset land of the Pacific Slope, its rare products
and wonderful resources and climate, will do well to
send fifty cents for a map and 12 sample copies
(worth $1.25) of the (illustrated) Pacific Rural
Press, the largest and best agricultural weekly in
the West, and one of the freshest and most onginal
home farm papers in the world. Established Jan.
I, 1870. Address Pacific Rural Press, 252
Market St. , ban Francisco.

A manual of methods and practices in Tree Prop-
agation, Planting, Cultivation, and Pruning, which
Lave yielded greatest success ; with Lists of Varie-
ties of Fruit best adapted to the different districts of
the State. By our editorial associate, Edward J.
WiCKSON, Secretary California State Horticultural
Society, etc.

The needs of a multitude of new-comers and the
disposition among many old residents, who have
followed other pursuits, to plant orchards and vine-
yards, has created a wide demand for a condensed
and yet comprehensive treatise upon California fruit
growing. While it is not the expectation of the
publishers to produce at once a perfect work on
this important interest, in so new a field it is
believed that a book may be prepared that shall
contain a large fund of useful information, relat-
ing to all branches of fruit growing, and thus
serve as a trustworthy guide to the novice, and
of suggestive value even to those of large exper-
ience. A better book may be the outgrowth of the
present effort when time shall bring more permanent
features and a fuller understanding of the industry.
Just at present what is most needed is a straightfor-
ward, practical description of the methods which
have so far been proved to yield the best results in
every branch of fruit growing from the propagation
of the tree onward to the marketing of the product.
It is expected that this book will be so plain and
practical in its"; character that anyone (of ordinary
'aJDiiity)'mny?su,ccessfully plant and grow any of the
comm.on oicbard.trces, ejen ifhe or she has had no
j pcevion-s £.<peTiea.ie ;iE^hort\uliUre.

The obvious necessity Cqr Si^ch a work arises from
ihe ib,ct' '"hat California yonditions are peculiar and
practices must be especially adapted to conform to
them. For this reason none of the many excellent
Eastern books on fruit growing are of use to the
Cahfornia fruit-grower. He needs to know the re-
sults of the experience of the most successful Califor-
nia orchardists as a guide to his own operations, and
this is what the book now in preparation will furnish
him. Published by

DEWEY & CO.,

Proprietors Pacific Rural Press,

No. 252 Market St. , S. F.

Back Files of the Pacific Rural Press (unbound) can
be had for $3 per volume of six months. Per year (two
volumes) $5. Inserted in Dewey's patent binder, 50
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,'-r'.

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

The convention met in the Grand Opera
House, Los Angeles, atlO A. M., Tuesday, No-
vember 17, 1885. EUwood Cooper, President
of the State Board of Horticulture, presided.
A. H. Webb, Secretary of the State Board of
Horticulture, was assisted by E. J. Wickson,
Secretary of the State Horticultural Society.

Upon calling the convention to order Presi-
dent Cooper announced that Mr. Stephen M.
White, who had been chosen by the Los An-
geles citizens' committee to welcome the dele-
gates to the city would deliver his address at the
afternoon session. President Cooper then de-
livered his opening address as follows:

President Cooper's Address.

By reason of the position which I hold, as
President of the State Board of Horticulture, it
is expected of me to deliver an address on this
occasion, and to mark out or submit a plan to
govern our exercises at this convention, to point
out the subjects of greatest importance, and
the manner of discussion, so as to facilitate our
work.

This will be the Fifth Annual Fruit-Growers'
Convention held in this State. The law creat-
ing the State Board of Horticulture as it for-
merly stood did not authorize the incurring of
any expenses for such purposes. Voluntary
contributions were necessary to meet the out-
lay. Each convention had a separate and inde-
pendent organization and adiourned sine die.
While, as I said before, it is the fifth, it is the
first over which the State Board assumes the
control and that will have continuous organiz-
ation. A complete record will be kept, and
our office, the seat of information on every
question that arises, will be accessible to all the
fruit-growers in the State. The plan for our
next annual convention, to be held in '86, will
be determined here, so that much more possi-
bly can be done at future gatherings than can
be accomplished now.

Before submitting my plan, however, I will
make a few introductory remarks on the sub-
ject of

Horticulture.

To quote from a lecture delivered by Baron
Ferd. Von Mueller, in November, 1880, at the

request of the Social Science Congress, of Mel-
bourne, he said : "While Science is to shed
light on the path of instructive progress to lead
to the development of natural resources; Art to
mold and refine aesthetics to react on the tone
of social and domestic life; Literature a guiding
influence on the progress of the times, on the
welfare of the State; Economy to advance
mutually the interests of the whole population
— it is left to our gathering to advocate the vast
interests involved in horticultural pursuits."

To quote still from that great man : "Directly
or indirectly, man himself is nourished,
clothed, and, indeed, provided with many of
his other requisites by plants. The very imple-
ments of his daily avocation, the comforts of
his home, the fuel for his hourly wants, the
means of locomotion, the very paper without
which his intellectual communication beyond
he reach of voice would become an impossi-
bility but for the offerings of the empire of
plants. If the teachings and debates of our
convention should tend to advance in any way
the interests of horticultural pursuits, then we
may claim to have aided in promoting the wel-
fare of our own, and perhaps other com-
munities."

A. Coutance, Professor of Natural Science, of
Paris, in his elaborate work on the olive, com-
piled from the time of the most ancient records,
states that the laws were made for the protec-
tion of wheat, the olive and the vine.

J. De Barth Shorb in an address delivered
before the Sate Agricultural Society in Sep-
tember, 1882, said, "The history of agriculture
is coincident with that of civilization itself, and
so intimately blended that the study of one
means necessarily the study of the other, '^ *
* * Civilization depended on agriculture and
climate. This carries the mind back to Egypt,
the birth place of European civilization, 5000
years ago. This country, in many material
respects, is similar to our own, and may be
studied with interest and profit to us all, as it
existed thousands of years before the Christian
Era, and remains substantially the same to-day.
What Egypt has been to European nations,
California should be, and must become, to the
American nation. Why was it that civilization

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

thus rose on the banks of the Nile, and not upon
those of the Danube and Missisaippi? The
answer is, civilization depends upon climate
and agriculture. As long as life is a scene of
uncertainty, that the hopes of yesterday may be
blighted by the realities of to day, man, in the
imperious demand for present support, dares
not venture on speculative attempts for the
purpose of ameliorating his condition. Agri-
culture in Ec(ypt is certain, and there man first
became civilized. Agriculture in California can
be made as certain, and here man should de-
velop a civilization and prosperity unequaled in
this world's history. The arable land of Egypt
is only 2253 square miles, and yet from this
insignificant area were supported at one period
over seven millions of people." Still quoting:
"At San Gabriel, there are lauds adjoining the
old mission buildings which have been cropped
twice a year since the foundation of the mission
110 years ago, and they still retain their fer-
tility unimpaired. This is purely the result of
irrigation."

I call your attention to this last paragraph as
it is contrary to every theory as laid down in
all the agricultural journals in the country.
They claim that only by systematic fertilizing
can the productive power of the land be se-
cured. This is particularly claimed by French
scientific journals, regarding continued fruit
crops. The one great expense attending fruit
production in that country is the fertilizers.
The above claim is that only water is required.

It is not a difficult matter to write an address
generalizing on the subject matter, but what we
want is hard facts presented in the briefest and
simplest manner. In what direction is our at-
tention here to turn in horticulture, and in what
aspects does it present itself to us ?

The importance of horticulture in relation to
educational training has never yet been sufficient -
ly recognized. Oar children should be taught
in our common schools. Their observations en-
larged, their interests enlivened. They should
be made to feel their responsibility in the proper
care of every useful plant. But very few
people appreciate the difficulty to be surmounted
in the conduct of an experiment. " Nature
makes experimenters," says Professor Cassidy
of Colorado. No man can be successful in this
line of human effort who is careless, slovenly,
and loose as a practitioner. The practice in the
profession is largely the ability to measure de-
tails.

Subjects for Consideration.

The important subjects before this conven-
tion I have arranged or classed under four dif-
ferent heads, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4. These again,
with the exception of the fourth and last, I have
subdivided in three different heads, first, second
and third, as follows:

No. I — Insect pests and the care of trees.

No. 2— The preparation, marketing and disposing
of fruit.

No. 3 — The variety and kinds of fruit trees to be
encouraged.

No. 4— Protection to fruit industry.

Subdivisions of Nos. i, 2, and 3. — No. i — First,
the most inexpensive remedies to apply for the de-
struction of insect pests, how to apply, the time to
apply, and the cost. Second, the cultivation, the
pruning, the time to prune. Third, proper laws to
prevent the spread of insect pests. Number 'one in
the order as given above will be disposed of on Tues-
day. No. 2 — First, the care in selection, the kind

and size of packages, the marketing and shipping.
Second, the proper time to gather the different kinds
ol fruits, the curing, etc. Third, how the fruit grow-
ers are to dispose of their fruits without coming in
competition with each other as to prices for the same
quality and kind of fruits. Number two will occupy
all of Wednesday, including night session. No. 3 —
First, the best varieties of the different kinds of fruits
to meet the wants of consumers in the different sea-
sons. Second, the actual demand and probability of
increase. Third, the encouragement to new planters
to confine themselves to such fruits as are not in
sufficient supply, or in excess, and to those that the
consumption appears to be for the time being unlim-
ited. No. 4. — The fourth class or subject (protection
to the fruit industry) requires very careful considera-
tion as every individual giving his views would natu-
rally be biased in favor of his special line of interest.
You will see by this program that there
are four general divisions of the subject. I
propose that we take them up in their order,
limiting or giving one day to each. The sub-
divisions of the classes Nos. 1, 2 and 3 can be
arranged for the equivalent part of the day.
The remarks of all the members to be limited
as to time, unless by special privilege. This
program will consume four days of our time.
The fifth day I propose to give to the plan of
preparation for our next annual convention.

Horticultural Books Recommended.

I have examined the proceedings of quite a
number of horticultural societies held east of
the Rocky mountains, and find in their discuss-
ions a very wide range of subjects. Our ca-
pacities, for climatic reasons, being very much
greater and largely different suggests an inde-
pendent scope and that we confine our deliber-
ations more especially to such points as will in-
crease or secure our greatest prosperity in the
line of our natural advantages. Allow me,
however, in this place to recommend that ev-
ery locality procure for its public library a
copy of the transactions of the Mississippi Val-
ley Horticultural Society for 1884. In this
book there is a register of every National and
State Horticultural Society in the country. A
copy of each can be secured, so that every citi-
zen can have access to them.

These books or reports have papers on al-
most every imaginable subject kindred to fruit
culture, with discussions on the same. I would
also recommend a book published in Washing-
ton by the State Department, in June, 1884,
No. 41J. This latter is especially interesting
to those engaging in citrus or olive growing.
If we expect to succeed in our fruit enterprises,
we must read.

Insect Remedies.
Going back to my plan or program, which
I have represented, I will briefly review some
of the points or subjects before closing. No. 1,
the first class — insect pests and care of trees:
I would call your attention to the various bulle-
tins that have been issued, giving the formula
of certain mixtures, represented as efficient
remedies for the destruction of certain insects.
We have* the bulletin of B. M. Lolong, San
Gabriel, Jan. 25, '85, — 40 lbs. whale oil soap, 4
gallons coal-oil (110° fire test), 100 gallons
water; cost, $2.84. For the black scale, spray
in September and October; they hatch through
July and August. My remarks regarding these
different mixtures will be confined to their effect
upon the black scale on olive trees. I have not
experimented with other insects on citrus trees

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

sufficiently to make a report. The statement
that they hatch through July and August is
true, yet not strictly true, for the reason that
I have known one year — 1883 — the hatching to
begin early in July and hatch continuously up
to the middle of the following February, a
period of seven months. The bulletin of S. F.
Chapin, Nov. 25th, 1884, gives this mixture,
which contains five different ingredients besides
the water. It is impracticable unless put up
already for sale by some one who is prepared to
do so in the exact proportions. The cost is two
and two-thirds cents per gallon. It is too ex-
pensive, unless guaranteed, and the guarantee
would depend upon the application or in whose
hands it was made. I will state in this place
that since writing the above, and during the
time I was waiting for the steamer to come to
Los Angeles, I examined some citrus trees,
orange, lemon and lime that were badly effected
with the black scale in May last. After two
sprayings with the whale oil and iron compound,
all the insects had disappeared before Nov.
13th.

The bulletin of Dobbins, Rice & McKinley,
Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 1885, is as follows: 25
lbs. brown soap, 6 Iba. wood potash, 4 gallons
coal-oil (110" test), 100 gallons water. This
mixture would, I suppose, cost about two and
one-half cents the gallon.

Matthew Cooke's remedy, copied from a Los
Angeles paper in March last is as follows: 10 lbs.
whale oil or other soft soap, sulphur 2^ or 3 tt)s,,
coal oil 1 gallon, water 17 gallons. Cost about
three and a half cents. All these mixtures are
good, no doubt, and would kill the newly
hatched or young scale, but how about the scale
hatched after October? If we have to keep con-
stantly spraying we had better use tobacco de-
coction which costs ten times less.

Kerosene oil has been considered by entomol-
ogists, the most effectual insect destroyer. The
Agricultural Department at Washington has
taken the same view, and has from year to year
given directions how to mix and use. As a
matter of course the greatest care must be ex-
ercised in preparation and application. I refer
you to report of 1884, page 331. The experi-
menters seem to have arrived at the perfect so-
lution. I have adopted their formula for emul-
sifying, but for the olive tree washing double
the strength. The proportions in the bulletins
of which I first made mention range from 15
gallons water up to 25 gallons, to one gallon
of oil. The Government reports nine gallons of
water to each gallon of the emulsions. In di-
luting the emulsion I only use six and one-half
gallons water to each gallon of oil, and I use
only the best quality of kerosene oil to be had in
the market of (150° fire test). It mixes Tjetter,
and is therefore safer in the application. The
cost of my mixture is about four cents a
gallon and it takes for large olive trees about 16
gallons on an average. The cost therefore per
tree, not counting the labor, fuel, etc., is 64
cents each washing.

I experimented with the kerosene mixture in
April, from 5th to 8th, with the strength of 14
to 1, and failed to see much benefit. At the
same time, with the strength 6^ to 1, the trees
were not injured and most of the scale killed.
I had the same result on lime trees. At the
same time I experimented with pyroligneous
acid on the olive trees, each gallon of acid
diluted with one gallon of water. The result

was a perfect success, as every part touched in
the spraying the insects were destroyed. The
acid cost in San Francisco, including the bar- j
rels, 12 cents; the freight and wharfage to i
Santa Barbara about two cents, equal 14 cents ,
the gallon; eight gallons of acid with eight gal- '
Ions of water makes the cost per tree $1.12 each ,
washing.

From July 29th to August 25th I gave my
trees a thorough spraying v.ith a decoction of
tobacco; October 20th to November 10th, a
thorough spraying with kerosene oil, each gal-
lon diluted with 65 gallons water. I also ex-
perimented between the last given dates with
pyroligneous acid, spirits of turpentine and ice-
water. The result of these experiments will be
given at our subsequent convention.

My formula is : Five gallons best kerosene
oil, 150° test; one and a fourth pounds good
common soap, or one bstr and a half of soap us-
ually sold as pound packages; two and a half
gallons of water. This makes the emulsion.
When using dilute 6^ (to 7) gallons of water for
each gallon of oil, and to this mixture add two
and a half pounds of good home-made soap dis-
solved in boiling water. All this mixing is
done with hot water. We usually have 140° in
the tank from which we spray.

For the wooly aphis on apple trees I have
had good success with caustic soda, at a very
moderate cost.

For flowering shrubs or garden plants I would
recommend sulphur and lime. Formula — two
pounds sulphur, one pound lime, two gallons
water; boil one hour. Dilute one gallon of the
mixture with three gallons of water, or more
water, according to the strength of the plant.
The most important question with which we
have to deal is remedies for the destruction of
insects, and we should be very careful before
recommending any remedy as certain in its ope-
ration.

Ravages of Insects.

In the address of Parker Earle, President of
the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society,
delivered in January last, he stated that three-
fourths of the entire apple crop were destroyed
by insects. This seems like a terrible waste.
In Santa Barbara county we certainly have not
nore than one-fifth of an olive crop gathered in
any one year.

From another authority, B. D. Walsh, it is
stated that the annual loss in the United States
amounts to $300,000,000 from insect pests alone.
From a report made by B. F. Johnson, of
Champaign, Illinois, he states that the "chief
cause of diseases in vegetation is mal-nutrition,
and that, with proper surroundings, sufficient
food and abundant water, orchards and all
other trees will be healthy and fruitful." This
theory is not borne out by our experience in
semi-tropical trees. The "Ice^'ya purchasi" is
no respector of conditions in orange trees or
any of the citrus family.

Under the second subdivision of the first
subject I have mentioned, the cultivating and
pruning of trees, I would remark concerning

The Pruning and Cultivation of Olive Trees,
That the pruning should be done immediately af-
ter the fruit is gathered. All dead wood
should be removed, and vigorous thinning out
on the inside of the trees, so as to admit the
sunlight and air. This rule should apply to all /
trees. The cultivation should be thorough.

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

The top surface should be well stirred four or
five times in the spring. Plowing is only nec-
essary when the crust under becomes hard.

Anti-Insect Laws.

I come now to the third subject in the first
class: "The laws to prevent the spread of
insect pests." So far as I have been informed
not one single test case has been made. In
Santa Barbara county the Icerya purchasi, com-
monly called the white cottnoy cushioned
scale, the worst of all insect pests known in
this country or any other country, is gradually
spreading and nothing done to prevent it. In
the town of Santa Barbara a paitial effort has
been made. No legal steps have been taken to
quarantine this most terrible pest. I cannot
foresee the future regarding it, and am at a
loss to advise. I fear it will cost the citizens
of Southern California millions of dollars.

The second subject proposed is the

Marketing and Disposing of Fruit.

Fruits should be graded as to size, handled
with great care, neatly packed in new and
clean boxes or packages and artistically marked.
The kind and size of package should be agreed
upon and a bulletin issued by the Inspector, so
as to be distributed pretty generally amongst
the fruit-growers, giving also the cost of such
boxes or packages in San Francisco.

How the fruit-growers are best to dispose of
their fruits I pass over by simply calling atten-
tion to the discussion had some weeks ago in
San Francisco (also on the 11th of this month),
where a proposition was made to establish a
central office or business house through which
all the fruits were to be disposed of, each
orchardist to be entitled to one share to each
acre in fruit-bearing trees (on the 13th of
November articles of incorporation wer filed),
the variety and kinds of fruit to be encouraged.
The third class I pass over for the present.

The fourth class.

Protection to the Fruit Industry.

I will state how it operates with regard to
my business — making olive oil, growing almonds
and English walnuts. We pay labor one dollar
a day and board. The boarding costs us about
35 cents, say two francs; labor five francs,
equal to seven francs. In the south of France
and Italy they pay labor one franc; the board-
ing costs not over one franc, total, two francs;
difference five francs, or equal to one dollar per
day on every laborer employed.

The freight from San Francisco to New
York on oil is $60 per ton; from the Mediter-
ranean $15, or one-fourth, so that without an
import duty, other things being equal, it would
be better for me to proceed at once to Southern
Europe to carry on my business. With wal-
nuts and almonds we make the same compari-
son, except that the freight on these to New
York is $40 per ton, and from south of Europe
about half as much.

While I wish to avoid any political discussion
at this meeting not pertinent to our actual de-
mands or necessities, I will in this place state
that if we want laws to protect and encourage
the greatest prosperity of our State, we must as
intelligent citizens look after the framing of
them. We cannot plead indifference, or pre-
occupation; we cannot ignore the community in
which we live: our district, our county, our
state or our common country.

We must look after the disbursements of our
money. Our taxes are more and more every
year, notwithstanding we have constantly ring-
ing in our ears, honest administration, economy,
retrenchment, etc., but no matter what party
wins, it is still "more money." Take 1875 as
the basis of value for my ranch. The first de-
cade, or 1885, the increase (in taxes) is 70 per
cent or 7 per cent yearly. There is nothing to
warrant any such increase.

Tree Planting.

The most of you perhaps will remember that
about ten years ago a law was passed by the
Legislature to encourage tree planting on the
public highways. No trees to my knowledge
have been planted under that law, not because
the amount to be given for each tree was insig-
nificant, but because it was impossible to pro-
tect them. The framers of the law had not an
intelligent idea of the subject. I think it is
time to revive this most important necessity.

We ought to encourage forest tree planting
for the protection of our fruit trees. It is my
candid opinion based upon my experience that
three-fourths of the area in fruit trees, with one-
fourth in forest trees will produce more fruit
and better fruits than the same area would with-
out the forest trees.

Freight Rates.

Our freights are very much too high. I am
satisfied that they can be reduced one-half, and
still give a fair profit to the railroads. On the
coast, where we have no railroads, we have
suffered very greatly from the exhorbitant
charges of the steamship company. Recently
an opposition line has been established and the
rates reduced in some instances to one-fourth
the former charges. This reduction by the old
company is manifestly or presumably so made
in an effort to compel the new line^to withdraw.
In this connection I wish to call your attention
to the New Constitution, Art. Xil, Sec. 20,
page 26 :

No railroad company or other common carrier
shall combine or make any contract with the owners
of any vessel that leaves port or makes port in this
State, or with any common carrier by which com-
bination or contract the earnings of one doing the
carrying are to be shared by the other not doing the
carrying.

And whenever a railroad corporation shall, for
the purpose of competing with any other common
carrier, lower its rates for transportation of passen-
gers or freight from one point to another, such re-
duced rates shall not be again raised or increased,
etc.

Why single out a railroad company and not
apply the same rule to all common carriers ?
Again, Declaration of Rights on Corporations,
page 44, after defining corporations, forbiding
pooling, etc., we find this clause — "Preventing
the increase of railroad rates that have been re-
duced for purposes of competition."

Here we have the railroad singled out again.
Why? Because the "hue and cry" against the
railroad was popular. The politicians vied
with each other to pile on restrictions as to the
railroad, and possibly at the same time the paid
agents of other common carriers. The spirit of
justice did not reign. The omission or exemp-
tion as to other common carriers renders us
helpless. I cannot help believing that it was
intentional, and it should warn us of the danger
of selecting our representatives. We must
know whose interest they represent.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

As I said before, we must demand reasonable
rates of freight, and we should, in return, put
our fruits on the market at the lowest possible
prices that the business will warrant. This
would cheapen the cost to the consumer and in-
crease enormously the demand.

Solomon has said, "As a nail sticketh be-
tween the joinings of a stone, so sin sticketh be-
tween the buyer and seller." And while this
•floes repi'esent the general tendency of trade,
we ought to come up to the high standard of
the Golden Rule — "To do unto others as we
would have them do unto us." "Let us con-
sider those deeds the greatest which give new
sources of comfort, both physical and mental,
to mankind, and which harmonize the interests
of all branches of the great family of man."

After delivering his opening address, Presi-
dent Cooper announced the first topic for dis-
cussion, "The Most Inexpensive Remedies to
Apply for the Destruction of Insect Pests:
How to Apply, the Time to Apply, and the
Cost."

Dr. J. M. Prey, of Newcastle, Placer county :
I have a small orchard in the northern part of
the State, in Placer county, which is very
much infested with insect pests of all kinds.
The wooly aphis is almost probably the worst
we have, and the red spider. I find that coal
oil is the best remedy to use, so far as killing
the insects, but we find it very liable to kill the
trees. I found it necessary to make an emul-
sion which would thoroughly disguise the oil
and do it in the cheapest possible manner. As
I had a number of cows, and saw something in
the paper about an emulsion of milk, I tried
that, and I think I hit upon the cheapest plan,
and easiest and safest manner of applying coal
oil. I took about five gallons of skimmed
milk and churned it with one gallon of coal oil.
I found it good for killing the wooly aphis and
the scale. It cleared my trees of the scale and
wooly aphis, but it did not kill the red spider.
To attack them I made a mixture of white-
wash and salt, and whitewashed the trees and
branches so far as I could get at tliem, but the
branches ran out so small that to whitewash
them took some little time. With these two
simple remedies I have cleared out all the in-
sects from my orchard. In packing my pears
this last year I instructed my man to be very
careful and pick out all the pears that were at-
tacked by the scale, and I don't think that I
had a bushel of pears that were so affected. A
great^many orchards around me are entirely
ruined, and I think that my experience is worth
something.

A Delegate : I would like to inquire what
proportion of water was used in the emulsion.

Dr. Prey: I took five gallons of milk and
one gallon of coal oil; to that I added eight gal-
lons of water. Different trees will bear differ-
ent remedies and of different strength. For in-
stance, the olive is a. very tough tree; you can
give it twice the strength you put on the cher-
ry tree. The peach is also a tree that is easily
hurt; you have to be very careful with that,
but on the apple, the plum and the quince you
can put a pretty good strength and not be li-
able to hurt them. The whole thing is to be
very careful not to have globules of kerosene
floating on top of the mixture. You must
make a perfect emulsion and then no harm will
be done. The cherry tree, however, is very
apt to be hurt.

Dr. 0. B. Congp.r, of Pasadena: I suppose
friendly criticisms are very proper to be made.
I rise to criticise this remark that this gentle-
man has just made, that you must thor-
oughly make an emulsion or else the kerosene
will have a bad efi'ect. I would like to ask
what the property is that does the work; is it
the kerosene or the milk in the emulsion?

Dr. Prey: The kerosene, undoubtedly. It
must still be in the form of kerosene, whether
it is with milk or whale oil soap.

Dr. Conger: Now, to my mind, kerosene is
a bad agent; or an agent, perhaps, that will do
damage to the delicate foliage, so far as I have
experimented with it. I have set it aside,
from the fact of its penetrating the bark of the
tree or the leaf. I can not say that I have seen
direct injurious results from one application,
but I suspect that if it is continued there will
be harm arising from its use, from the fact of
its penetrating, or liability to penetrate the
bark and leaf of the plant. We all know that
if you place it upon your hand it is readily ab-
sorbed like many volatile substances. It read-
ily disappears in the wood of the tree. It
spreads very rapidly and passes away from
sight. Perhaps, to some extent, it evaporates;
but I apprehend that it penetrates the bark
and the leaf of the plant, and hence it must in-
terfere with the circulation. Now, there is an
erroneous opinion arisen in regard to making
this emulsion, in my judgment. The people,
in making the emulsion, imagine that when
they have diluted it, it acts in some other way
— not directly as kerosene, and there is the
point that I rise to call attention to: that in
whatever form it is used, it still acts as kero-
sene.

Mr. Williams, of Presno: By mixing certain
elements we sometimes destroy the deleterious
effects of those elements. Now, by mixing with
milk, as Dr. Prey suggests, does not the emul-
sion destroy the efi'ect of the kerosene upon the
live plants, and can we not preserve those prop-
erties in the kerosene that destroys the animal
life and yet preserve our plant life?

Mr. L. J. Rose, of San Gabriel: As far as
destroying the eff^ect of the coal oil in emulsions
is concerned, I think there is nothing in it. I
think an emulsion is for the purpose of evenly
distributing the coal oil on a tree. If there is
no emulsion, why then it separates and keeps
to itself and you are liable to spray your tree
with nothing but coal oil, but an emulsion takes
it up and distributes it evenly through a cer-
tain quantity of water or whatever you may
spray with. I have sprayed a good deal in my
time, and I believe that if you can get along
without coal oil it would be better not to use it.
It certainly kills, but it also injures the tree;
if you use it as an emulsion that is the least in-
jury, because you apply it so lightly to every
part, but theie is danger where you do it in
large quantities, and leave these matters to
other parties that they may not get a
good emulsion, and even in the emulsion
that I have I find that my trees have
sufi'ered to some extent. I believe that
you will find where you have sprayed trees
with an emulsion two or three times that some
of the twigs are dead, that the leaves fall on
some parts of the tree, that the tender green
bark will be discolored, as will be found by
cutting into it. I wish to call attention to a

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

matter that was brought to my notice on the
cars by a gentleman whom I hope will be here,
Mr. Thomas, of Viaalia. He says he has
has some wood with him that has been washed
with a solution of brine — salt dissolved with
water, as much as it will dissolve, and the tree
washed with it for what is known as the San
Jose scale. He told me it had killed all the
scale on the tree and it afterwards had made a
good growth, and it was entirely free from
scale. So far as maay remedies are concerned
they are remedies that will apparently kill all
or mostly all the insects on the tree, but so far
as my experience goes I have not perfected any-
thing, I have the same thing to deal with
from time to time, and it is a continued labor.
Now if we could get something that would do
this and would absolutely destroy it so that we
would be free from it, of course the benefits
-would be much larger. Whether this is pos-
sible or not I do not know, I have studied
over this a good deal because it is my interest to
study it, I have thought perhaps that some
kind of odors, some kinds of gases, some kinds
of fumigation under a tent, that would reach
every part of the tree, would probably do the
work, I have been in hopes that people who
have more leisure would experiment v/ith it
and find out something in that direction, and I
utill hope that something will be found out
that will be a better remedy than anything we
have. Whether there is anything in this salt
remedy or not, I do not know. The gentleman
is here and he has Pome wood which I think
would be interesting for the people to see.

Mr. Thomas, of Visalia : If you will permit
me, in the afternoon I will bring those sam-
ples of wood before you and explain to you all
I know about it. It is something I only dis-
covered a few days ago in Fresno county. I
gave it as severe investigation as I could. I
only found one gentleman that used it, and I
think it is a success, so far as that gentleman
used it.

John Brittan, of San Jose : I suppose that I
have had some experience in eradicating the
San Jose scale, I do claim that I was the first
man to use a remedy for it, I unfortunately
bought an old orchard about the time that the
scale became prevalent there, I got a pretty
good dose of- it — enough to keep me busy for
three or four years, I started in on the basis
of potash, I liked potash because there is
nothing lost in using it, and if I spend $50 to
put it on my orchard I think I get it back in
the course of a few years. I have always con-
sidered that without potash you will not get
very good fruit. That is a great question for
fruit-growers to consider. The question of
spending $50 and getting some of it back again
in other ways besides destroying the insect is
important. I adhered to my original plan, and
I did exterminate on my orchard the San Jose
scale. I started in on it some eight or nine
years ago, and for the last two years I have not
seen a sign of the scale, in fact I eradicated
them so well that I have not washed for two
years. I began using pure potash or concen-
trated lye by dissolving it in water and thor-
oughly drenching the trees. I did not confine
myself to simply spraying them. I gave them
all that I thought they ought to have, and I
was not careful about saving it at all. I simply
let it go onto the ground, and I found out that
after continuing in that course of treatment for

three years I began to get the better of the
scale, and for the last two years I have not
seen a sign of them in my orchard. I have
an idea that if a tree has all the pot-
ash it wants that these insects can't destroy
it. The potash seems to be an antidote
for the poison that these insects inject into the
tree, I have always based my theory that they
did Hot destroy a tree by what they took from
it, but by what they lefs therein. If you cut*
off the bark from a tree which is infested with
San Jose scale, so that you can see the inside of
the bark, you will find it all i-ed, and that red
extends right into the inner part of the tree,
I fiad that by applying lye that after it had per-
formed its work that red color will become ex-
tracted, come right out onto the tree and form
a gum on the outside, and then the bark takes
on its natural color again. 1 have had a ti'eeso
badly infested with the San Jose scale that it
produced no leaves for two years, and yet that
tree recovered and is standing a healthy tree
to-day. I attribute it to the effect of the lye,
I believe the lye destroyed the poison, I am
perfectly satisficed it will destroy all insects.
You can kill all the red scale on a tree, and if
the tree does not get some remedy to overcome
that poison, the tree will then die, I know
that such has been the case in Santa Clara
county. From my experience, therefore, I
think that lye is the best remedy and that lye
should be the basis of all washes. Tobacco
water, as the President stated, is good because
it contains more lye than any other wash that
can be used. I consider that all washes should
be based on potash, not only for the immediate
effect, but for their beneficial effect afterwards.

Dr. Frey: How much water do you use to a
pound of potash?

Mr. Brittan: I never have used the wash
any stronger than one pound of concentrated
lye to four gallons of water. I have experi-
mented with it stronger, but I never used it so
as a general thing.

A Delegate: Is the potash as good as the
concentrated lye or is it cheaper?

Mr. Brittan: That is all governed by the
amount of potash you get in a pound, I have
always found the American concentrated lye
the cheapest. We can get it stronger from that
than from any other ingredient we can use.
The American concentrated lye I use should
contain 95 per cent of potash,

A Delegate: I should like to inquire what
kind of an apparatus did you use in applying it,

Mr. Brittan: I use a Gould pump — one of
those small Gould force pumps. I have a tank
and put the tank on a sled and a Gould pump
and hose and a common garden hose nozzle,

Mr. Wilcox, of Santa Clara: There is this
to say about that wash, and it is so with all
applications for these pests: sometimes they
succeed and sometimes they fail. Four or five
years ago I put out a couple of thousand pear
trees; some of them were affected and part of
them were not, and the insects have increased
a hundred per cent since that time, although
the trees were all dipped before they left the
nursery, and although I quarantined them on
my place and burnt the refuse so that the in-
sects would not spread that way. I am in-
clined to think the lye is effectual, but I think
sometimes these insects are about the roots of
the trees or about the clay of some substance

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

around them that the lye did not penetrate.
After all the experiments we have made at San
Jose, and we have made them very extensively,
we have some left. I was induced a little while
ago by Mr. Settle, of the Farniers' Union,
where we get all of our washes, to buy a barrel
of sal-soda; he said that was the most effectual
of anything they had tried. I would like to
hear from other persons in regard to that mat-
ter. I am inclined to think that these washes
are all effectual, but that they do not always
reach the insect.

J. H. Kellogg, of Tustin: Eighteen months
ago, digging around one of my apple trees, I
discovered that I had a pest, which I was told
was the wooly aphis. I was advised to put
lime and ashes, mixed, around the butt of the
tree, and to pour on some v/ater; and Dr. Cha-
pin proposed to take caustic soda and make a
solution and let it run down. I tried both, and
the lime and ashes were not effectual. The
caustic soda I applied, and I found it killed the
wooly aphis. I applied it again' and again,
perhaps five or six times, and I think that I
have nearly conquered the woolly aphis around
the trunk of the tree; but it would appear again
in the foliage and around the larger branches.
To defeat that, I put on coal oil. I took a
brush and dipped it in coal oil and applied it,
and that will kill the wooly aphis; but it
breaks out in another spot, and as the matter
stands, about one-half of my apple trees are
free from the wooly aphis and the other half
are still affected, and I am still fighting theTi.

Mr. G. N. Milco, of Stockton: As nearly
as I can understand, this county has been seri-
ously infested by the cottony cushion scale. I
would like very much to hear what has been
done in the matter, and what remedies have
been prescribed, and then I shall offer some-
thing that I have got on the subject. I have
a remedy, and, if the members of this meeting
will allow me, I will submit a letter on the
subject:

Sacramento, November 14, 1885.

G. N. Milco, Esq., — Dear Sir: I write to advise
you that I have been using buhach for the extermi-
nation of the cottony cushion scale, with very favor-
able results. The trees infested were in gardens,
some having beautiful grass plots, and others were
stocked with choice flowers, etc. I could not use
the common washes containing coal oil, etc., as it
would destroy the flowers, grasses, etc.

After deloliating the trees, shrubs, etc., I used a
solution of soft soap 15 pounds, buhach -l% pounds,
water 20 gallons. The trees and plants being thor-
oughly sprayed, the grounds were also thoroughly
soaked so as to destroy any that had fallen off. 1
have made a thorough investigation, and cannot
find a living scale on the trees treated in this way;
besides, the use of the buhach instead of coal oil, etc. ,
protected the grass and other plants.

I intend repeating the spraying lest any may have
escaped on the flowering plants, and will repoit to
you fully, or at least will send you the report that I
will make to the Board of Trustees of this city, who
ordered the work done.

I am well pleased with the result so far, and I con-
sider the money expended in purchasing 30 pounds
of buhach was an excellent investment, not only as a
safe remedy for the protection of plants, but as an
insecticide; in such cases it has no superior.

Yours, etc., Matthew Cooke.

It may not be known, Mr, President, that
Mr. Cooke took a contract from the Trustees of
Sacramento city to eradicate the cottony cush-
ion scale for a certain consideration, and no

money to be paid unless they were satisfied
that the work was done.

Mr. Cooper: Please state the cost of that
mixture.

Mr. Milco: My opinion is that the cost of
this wash, according to his formula, will be
something in the neighborhood of seven cents
per gallon, but as the wash is not used as my
friend Mr. Brittan says, through a common gar-
den hose, but through the Cyclone nozzle, the
wash v/ill go a good ways, and a gallon will
probably go over a good deal of space.

Mr. G. M. Grey, of Chico: I would like to
say one word on the lye question; it seems to
have been dropped. I do not know the amount
of lye thai each person could make by collect-
ing the ashes and making his own lye, but that
would be better than anything we can buy. We
have at Chico several engines running in town
and on the ranch where I am at work. We
have taken pains for the last three or four
years to save all the good hard-wood ashes
that we could gather, and then at the time
that they want to use the lye to make it in
hoppers, running it into a large pine tank
which is buried in the ground (it seems to hold
it better that way than any other we can find),
and we use the lye for these insects v/hich are
doing so much damage. I agree with these
gentlemen who have remarked upon his ques-
tion that I believe that there is nothing any
better to be used than lye. When we use con-
centrated lye we use three-fourths of a pound to
a gallon of water; that is about as strong as the
more hardy trees will stand, and it is as strong
as we can handle. We have no San Jose scale,
but we have been troubled with the rose scale
or the v/hite scale on our blackberries, and by
going over the blackberry bushes twice each
year we are getting rid of them entirely. This
fall there seems to be a sprinkling of them, but
only a few; and we have reduced the quantity
of wooly aphis very much from the apple trees
by using this lye once or twice during the win-
ter, and putting ashes around the routs of the
tree. A half bushel, or about that amount,
is placed around each tree, and we have con-
tinued that until I think now there is on.y one
wooly aphis where there were a thousand three
years ago. As to the cottony cushion scale,
there was one tree which stood in the wood-
yard away from anything else and it was re-
ported to me two years ago that it was covered
with something white. I went and examined
the tree and found it the cottony cushion scale,
and we haven't found anything of the kind any-
where else in Butte county that I know of.
That was the only tree, and where it came from,
and how it happened that they were not scat-
tered more, is a mystery. I spread straw
around the tree for a foot deep, and cut off
every branch and let them lie on the straw two
or three daj's until the leaves wilted, and burnt
it all up. I supposed it would kill the tree,
but the next spring it came out and now it has
a large, fine crop, and not a sign of the cot-
tony cushion scale on it yet.

Dr. 0. F. Chubb, of Orange : I want to
state, in regard to the lye treatment, that un-
der my observation some gentleman was using
concentrated lye with lime, a very thin wash
and very cheaply prepared — I think one pound
of lye and one pound of lime to five gallons of
water. They used lime, claiming that it at-
tracted the lye to the limbs and the leaves of

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVtNTION

the tree and retained it longer. It is one of the
latest applications that we are making in that
countj', and it seems to do the work most thor-
oughly. Now, there is a point that is touched
on by the gentleman from Santa Clara that I
think needs more consideration than we have
been givng it; that is t he application of such
remedies as contribute to the growth and
thriftiness of the tree. I believe that it will
accord with the observation o^ most of you,
that the more thrifty any fruit tree is in its
growth the less it is aflfected by the pests, and
the scale particularly. That has been my ob-
servation, and I believe if the most eminent
chemists would give it their attention and give
us the chemical ingredients necessary to pro-
mote the more thrifty growth, so that we would
use those, we would have less trouble
with the scale. I call to mind an orchard that
I examined in this city two years ago, where
the entire tree was almost entirely free from
the black scale which was then the only one in-
festing this section to any extent (that is, the
white scale had not been talked of), and I
asked the owner how he had secured that de-
gree of cleanliness from the black scale. He
said he had done it by making a very heavy
application of sheep manure from the sheep
ranch and corral. He hauled on a very large
quantity and applied it thoroughly. There
was one tree that I discovered that had a large
amount of black scale on it. I said : "How is
this that this tree is so affected and the rest so
clean ?" He said that the tree was damaged,
and called my attention to the body near the
ground, where the bark had been almost torn
off clear around from a team he had cultivating
running away with the harrow and running
against the tree and breaking off the bark and
almost destroying the life of the tiee. It so
far interfered with the growth that there had
been no growth for two or three years; the re-
sult was it was covered with black scale at that
time. At the time I saw it, it was somewhat
recovering. This point of promoting the thrift
of trees, and if possible by applications that
will also kill the insects, I believe is a vital
point.

Dr. E. Kimball, of Haywards: I have an
olive orchard at my house — about five hundred
trees. They became thoroughly infested with
black-scale — on every limb, some of them. I
cut off the entire top in March, a year ago,
from four hundred trees; cut them right down
to hitching posts, leaving only short stubs of
limbs. I subsequently washed those trees with
concentrated lye, one pound to four gallons of
water — simply sprayed them with the San Jose
nozzle. On the sixth of May the first leaf came
out; they now have tops almost as large
as they were before, and from some of
them I have picked five gallons of olives this
year. On the hundred trees that I did not top
there is more or less scale now, although treat-
ed in the same way — by drenching them thor-
oughly, but not with the same treatment. I
treated them with ten pounds of Los Angeles
whale oil soap and twenty pounds of quick-
lime to forty gallons of water. That has not
killed the scale entirely, though very little is
left, and none of it has been communicated to
the trees that I topped. I fail to discover one
on them, and they are in a very vigorous con-
dition. I then tried the same wash, ten pounds
of whale oil soap and ten pounds of quick-lime

to forty gallons of water, on about twenty-five
lemon trees that were thoroughly infested with
the black scale and some willow scale. It had
not the slightest effect upon the willow scale,
but the black scale it has about half killed. I
have not found that effectual on any trees, but
the one pound of lye to four gallons of water, I
have found effectual. That will eradicate the
black scale, the only scale I have, except the
willow scale,

Mr. T. A. Garey, of Los Angeles: Dr.
Chubb's statement in regard to the vigorous
growth of the orange trees having a tendency
to clear the tree of black scale is a fact. I have
known orange trees taken out of nurseries in
the vicinity of Los Angeles thoroughly covered
with the black scale planted on the rich high
land toward the mountains where the condi-
tions seem to be more proper and better for the
orange trees, and they cleared themselves en-
tirely without any application of anything what-
ever. The change in the location and the vigo-
rous growth of the tree will clear the tree of the
black scale, but that is not the case with the
cottony cushion scale. The more you cultivate
the tree the more vigorously it grows, and the
more vigorous your cottony cushion scale be-
comes, I don't think it has any tendency what-
ever to reduce it. It is a pest that will require
the combined wisdom of the people of this
State and locality to remedy and to eradicate,
and that remedy should be cheap enough
to be within the reach of the people
who need it. Now, when Mr. Milco talks
about seven cents a gallon for the expense of
his buhach and other things, that ends the mat-
ter. Though it may kill all the scale, the cot-
tony cushion scale, the ordinary orchardist
cannot afford to pay it — it would bankrupt
him. About as cheap and probably a better
method would be to dig the trees up and burn
them up. We must get a safe and sure and
cheap remedy. A few wealthy men of this
county may stand seven cents a gallon for
spraying their trees, in order to eradicate the
white scale, but the ordinary run of orchardists
can't do it, so that however effective a remedy
may be we could not have it, because of the ex-
pense; it would be an embargo upon it. Now,
I hope out of the deliberations of this conven-
tion, and what we may learn to-day, that we
may get down to something that would be
practicable in the way of eradicating this terri-
ble pest — the cottony cushion scale. I do
not think that we have any San Jose scale in
Los Angeles county; if we have I have never
heard of it. I don't know for certain, but it is
of great importance to us to know something
about it and the prevention and the cure, be-
cause a cure for the San Jose scale would be
likely a cure for the cottony cushion scale, and
that is the thing we are looking to more espe-
cially. The wooly aphis has also been referred
to; my impression is, the best way to kill the
wooly aphis is to dig the tree up and burn it
up. One gentleman from Orange stated that
he applies a little coal oil when he sees it on the
branches, and one-third of his orchard is clear
and two-thirds are affected. I think it will con-
tinue to do that way; it is a continuous trouble
and a continuous expense. The wooly aphis, I
think, is one of the most difficult things to erad-
icate from our orchards that we know of. In
regard to the remedy of brine, proposed by Mr.
Thomas, of Visalia, I suppose that he has refer-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

ence to the San Jose scale on deciduous fruit
trees I would like to know of Mr. Thomas how
long it has been since he made that experiment,
and the condition of the trees after he made the
experiment. They have been speaking about the
deleterious effects of the coal oil on trees. I do
not rhink it will compare with brine. I think
the salt brine will kill the tree outright and you
will get rid of it without any trouble, insects
and all. I know that salt brine around the
roots of orange trees will kill the trees; they
will shed the leaves almost at once and the tree
will dwindle until it dies if there is any strength
• at all in the brine. You have got to look out
for that.

Mr. Milco: As near as I can understand the
gentleman, the complaint is that the remedies,
like that proposed by Mr. Cooke, were too ex-
pensive. Now I would like to know how much
money has been spent in washes for the last
five years in this State, and I would like to
know whether there is a single man here to-day
who has an orchard that is clean from insects.
I would like to know if there is a man on this
floor that has a remedy.

Mr. Garey: I would like to know if you
have a remedy.

Mr. Milco: The remedy is just read to you.

Mr. Garey: Well is it effectual by one appli-
cation?

Mr. Milco: It seems so from this letter from
Mr. Cooke.

Mr. Williams, of Fresno: I think this is the
best opport unity for Matthew Cooke to get a big
contract on his hands right here in Los Angeles
county. He took a contract in Sacramento for
eradicating the scale permanently for $200. I
think there were four places that were infested
with the scale, and if we had Mr. Matthew
Cooke down here I think we would give him a
big job, and if that remedy is as effectual as
they say it is, I think it economy to let Los
Angeles county out to him and let him do the
job up at once and get rid of it.

A Delegate: How large was the tract in
Sacramento?

Mr. Milco: I don't know anything about the
extent, but I know I read an article in the
Record- Union last July calling attention to the
danger of the spread of this scale insect, and
finally it was brought before the trustees, and
the result is just as Mr. Cooke states in bis
letter.

At this point the convention adjourned until
afternoon.

At the opening of the afternoon session on
Tuesday, Nov. 17th, the following

Address of Welcome

Was delivered by Stephen M. White, Esq., of
Los Angeles : '

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : —
Some little time ago, the committee to which
the management of your reception had been en-
trusted, inquired whether it would be convenient
for me to address to those who should assem-
ble here words of welcome, and to say in behalf
of the citizens of Los Angeles county in gen-
eral, and more particular in behalf of those who
are directly interested in the work in which
you are engaged, that your advent is not only
in accordance with public desire, but that the
greeting which you may expect will be cordial
and sincere. Entertaining such sentiments my-

self, and glad of an opportunity to give them
utterance, I accepted the invitation, thinking
without justification, in seems, that I would be
able to reduce my thoughts to a coherent and
intelligible form. I know that it is the habit
of those who address public assemblages to ex-
cuse themselves for crude and unstudied utter-
ances, and when this is done the speaker, as a
rule, has stored in his pockets, or placed in the
printer's hands, a very large amount of manu-
script which has been the subject of much at-
tention. ,

However unreliable such statements generally
are, I can, nevertheless, truly say that it has
been impossible for me to prepare anything in
the nature of a speech, and the limited exper-
ience I have had in such matters has convinced
me that inadequate preparation is worse than
none, and that extempore efforts are calculated
to do more good than partially preconceived
efforts. Perhaps it is better that unyielding
circumstances have precluded my giving this
address the care it merits by the occasion.
Had I been "prepared," I would no doubt have
spoken glowingly of our balmy atmosphere and
Italian skies; would have dwelt upon the dry-
ness of the air, and I might have said something
as to our irrigating necessities. In view of the
condition of our streets, the demand for over-
coats, and the uncertain tenure by which we all
hold our umbrellas, such remarks would have
been the subject of no little embarrassment.

With this preliminary, let me say that Los
Angeles city and county, and Southern Califor-
nia, extend to you an earnest and enthusiastic
welcome.

Glad to have you here as friends, we are over-
joyed at the presence of an organization formed
on a legal basis and endeavoring in a scientific
way to insure the permancy, and advance the
interest of that which is fast becoming the lead-
ing industry of California. It is not long ago
since the interests represented by you were re-
garded as merely incidental to others — as hardly
worthy of secondary consideration. Men looked
to mining, the raising of stock, and in some lo-
calities, to the production of cereals, as about
the only means of acquiring a livelihood.

And to have attempted a thorough investi-
gation of those matters which you are here to
fully examine would have been deemed an idle
dream, a visionary scheme, unworthy the at-
tention of a practical man.

How great the change which time has made
in this, as in almost every walk where the re-
quirements of the situation draw upon the in-
dustry and intellect of man! And how the face
of nature has been transformed and even the
current of trade reversed !

Not many years have elapsed since it was
supposed that marketable apples could not be
grown in Los Angeles county. Yet, a few days
ago when our fair was held in the large market
building nearly opposite us, one person dis-
played 300 varieties of magnificent apples, raised
by him in this county. The exhibit not only
enlisted universal comment but excited the ap-
plause of the numerous visitors from other
States, who were fortunate enough to witness
that tangible evidence of material develop-
ment. Potatoes, cabbages, vegetables of all
kinds were largely imported by Los Angeles
dealers some years past, and the assertion that
a miscellaneous fruit production would ever

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

emanate from this portion of the State, if ever
made, would have been treated with uncon-
cealed incredulity.

It is unnecessary to refer to the patent fact
that fruit production has p^issed the embri'O
stage aud that the great possibilities, which are
offered by our climate and peculiar condition,
are of such magnitude as to render it difficult to
realize them.

To me, one of the mosb pleasant features of
the situation is to be found in the contempla-
tion of the fact that our movements are not di-
rected by chance, and that combined effort
will soon eliminate the element of uncertainty
which must ever attend that class of business
which is at the mercy of a stronger power. Nor
is the prospect only that which follows 'combi-
nation. Intelligence and experience are to
guideand to govern this organized industry.
The Legislature will enact such laws as are
found consonant with fundamental maxims and
at the same time suffic;iently comprehensive to
effect the desired object.

When the initiatory steps toward the extir-
pation of fruit pests were being taken, many
well-minded persons objected to investing, as
they said, plenary power in a few men. It was
asserted that it was dangerous to permit the
invasion of private property against the will of
the owner, and under circumstances which did
not seem, viewed "in the light of other days,"
to warrant a disregard of the owner's fishes.
"I can and will attend to my own business,"
was the crj'. But, adopting that practical busi-
nesslike view, which is perhaps incident to
American manhood, and remembering that the
citizen must so use his property as not to ma-
terially impair that of his neighbor, and that
the "police power" was co cKteusive with the
danger, our fruit-growers are practically
unanimous in their submission of official author-
ity, and the only question appears to be as lo
the most desirable means to gain the desired
end.

We cannot, amd indeed do not, attempt to
deny that the fruit prospects are largely im
paired by the presence of numberless and in-
vidious foes; in this very city the scale bug
seemed for a long time to be master of the situ-
ation. Slow, non-radical treatment was barren
of results, and only since "heroic treatment"
was adopted have we entertained, and, with
reason, too, strong hopes of ultimate mastery.
The methods essential for success — those from
which the best results will flow — must become
matters of common learning before the fight
can be said to be thoroughly organized.

You, gentlemen, who are devoting yourselves
to this work, not merely for your personal bene-
fit, but also for the well-being of your fellow-
citizens, must, through your personal labor, and
by means of conventions such as this, supply
the needed instruction — give the proper educa-
tion.

The consequences of your movements upon
the enemy are being notably felt. I observe a
steadily growing desire to recognize and appre-
ciate your leadership in the important charge
over which your jurisdiction extends.

You are looked to as forming a tribunal cre-
ated to furnish useful information, to make sug-
gestions and to carry out the views you enunci-
ate. All parties interested have a right to look
to you for this and I know they will not look
in vain. The eradication of a serious peril —

one which menaces the permanency of our
State's resources, is no trivial affair.

The proper treatment of the vital issue thus
presented is of more importance to us at present
than the result of any political caucus or con-
vention, or even election. I do not feel myself
competent to make any specific suggestions to
j'ou, but allow me to say that the efficacy ot
your action here depends somewhat upon its
unaminity. Divided counsels are rarely pro-
ductive of intended benefit. Full, candid and
thorough discussion should, no doubt, be had;
but after ample consideration make some rec-
ommendation upon which you can afford to
stand and do not doubt that your decision will
be considered enough to warrant its general
and practical application.

Our knowledge has surely reached the point
where we clearly and unmistakably see that
without the aid of the Government and an in-
telligent body to enforce the law, our prospects
would not be bright, or the chances of enduring
prosperity encouraging.

That American brain and muscle is fast win-
ning the upper hand in this battle I take for
granted, and with that conflict determined in
our favor, who can measure the greatness in
store for California? There was a day in the
earlier stages of her being when those who, ani-
mated by youthful energy and lured by tales of
golden treasures, came to her shores for
pecuniary gain alone. Their restless activity
guided them to hitherto unexplored fastnesses,
under, along and over beds of rivers, below the
mountain's base, all to acquire enough to enable
the possessor to return to his native heath, and
enjoy the profits of his perilous enterprise.
Those days are gone. The cattle king with his
mighty herds finds his exterior boundary lines
contracting. The great farmer, whose thou-
sands of acres yielded him but a meager crop,
sold at a meager price, is gradually passing
away. The spirit of progression waves us on
toward the vineyard, the orchard, the neat
homes, the garden and the well cared for stock
farm.

Ancient methods are being displaced and the
mind as well as the soil is found to be a subject
for profitable cultivation.

The tendency of your efforts is towards a
higher civilization; it means the increase of
independent land-owners, the encouragement
of those things which civilize, which do good,
which destroy crime, or rather obliterate its
causes.

The unavoidable delays which the late storm
has occasioned, and the consequent change of
hour for this meeting has somewhat complicated
my business appointments. I am, therefore, com-
pelled to close, which I will do by welcoming
you once more to Los Angeles, assuring you at
the same time that you will have general and
cordial co-operation in your efforts to advance
and promote those great enterprises, which,
supplying honestly acquired wealth, at the same
time drive away care, and develop and cause to
be transmitted that happiness and personal
satisfaction which is among the most common
of legitimate aspirations.

Discussion on Insect Fighting.
After the address of Mr. White the discussion
on injurious insects was continued.

L. J. Rose, of San Gabriel: I have been a res-
ident here for some time and engaged in orange

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

culture, and have done a great deal in the way
of trying to eradicate the scale bug. In the
first place we had the red scale, and we were
very much alarmed about it. I then began
cutting off the trees, trimming them so as to
leave nothing but the bare branches, and scour-
ing the whole tree with soap and water. After
a few years they grew out very beautiful-
ly but were as full of the red scale as they
were before. I have the cottony cushion scale
now, and I am doing everything I can to find
out what will kill it. We liave done a great
many unnecessary things, and we have done
things that may have been of doubtful benefit
and of more expense than is necessary. The
formula that I firss used *as whale oil soap,
coal oil of such a standard of fire test and pot-
ash. We now find that whale oil soap is not
necessary, Ju fact it is an injury, because it
stains the fruit; whereas common cheap soap
does not stain the fruit, so we are using a wash
that costs less money. Again, the fire test coal
oil was considered a great benefit and a great
necessity. If I may judge from my experience,
it is of doubtful benefit; in fact, I think it is of no
benefit at all. It kills the bugs, but the potash
kills the bugs vrithout it, and the potash is a bene-
fit to the soil, and is of no injury in any respect.
I will state to Mr. Milco that I have heard be-
fore of Mr. Cooke's opinion and belief. I
do not know of a man that I have a greater
esteem for in this matter. On the other hand,
I have gone through so much here, have seen
so many things that turned out failures, that I
have some'little misgivings that Mr. Cooke is
mistaken, too. I know something of the lot
in Sacramento which he treated. They had
little trees that were trimmed ofi and radically
treated, and I have no doubt that they are free
from the cottony cushion scale to-day. Accord-
ing to the experience we have had here for two
years with the remedies I have said I have
used, they kill the bug, but there is another
fact: as soon as you begin spraying the bug falls
off the tree and it buries itself in the soil,
and when you are done spraying the bug again
ascends the tree, and in a little while, by its
prolific habits, is as numerous aa ever. Now,
this has been my experience; it has been the
experience of the whole county. You cannot
show mo one place where the scale has been
eradicated. That is a broad assertion, but I
think it will be substantiated when thoroughly
inquired into. I have seen cases where you
have said : "Eureka ! we have accomplished it;
it is no more here," but in the course of two or
three weeks they found some. That is a great
misfortune. Mr. CooVce has had favorable con-
ditions. He has had trees eight or ten feet
high. He trimmed them himself and had a
small territory, and he has, as he believed,
eradicated it. I hope it is true, but we have
trees here that are SO feet high, and it is almost
an impossibility for the spray to touch every
animal, but if you can it kills it. And it is
not only necessary to spray the trees, but
you must have some way to prevent the scale
bag from ascending again; that is what we are
trying to do, and every little while we find
something that we think has accomplished the
end. We have not quite succeeded yet. I
have belief that it can be done, but up to this
date we have not done it yet: to be able to say
that we have wiped it out in any one place as
a permanent proposition.

It is true that the cottony cushion scale is
easier killed than any other scale bug; it is
easier handled than any other that I know of,
and I believe that in time j'ou can entirely de-
stroy it. As it stands, I do not fear it a great
deal except as a matter of expense. I have
heard some of my neighbors say that even the
expense they were at in spraying was of such
benefit in the brightening of their fruit and of
the growth of the trees, that in the end the
work we are doing will pay. That we can
keep it under so that it will be of no permanent
injury is true, but, of course, we would be glad
to avail ourselves of any remedy that would do
the work and have it done with forever. I will
say to Mr. Milco that seven cents a gallon for
his preparation will not be a bar to our use of
it, but it must be proven that one application
will be the end of it, for we have now remedies
that are much cheaper.

Mr. Milco: I will say, as Mr. Rose touched
on the subject, that if Mr. Cooke can be paid
by Los Angeles county for his expenses to come
down here and make some experiments, at any
time we will furnish all the material free of
charge.

Mr. Rose: I will assure him his expenses
will be paid. I will pay my portion of it, and
pay half of it if he will do it. There will be no
question about the expense.

Dr. Conger: I have great admiration for Mr.
Rose, but however skillful any one person may
be in any special line, in something that he has
but little experience in he is about as liable to
err as a novice, possibly. Now, Mr. Rose has
an immense tract of land, he has probably the
largest orange orchard in Southern California,
and it is a puzzle to a great many how it can be
carried on by one brain. It is very extensive,
and unfortunately the red scale and the white
scale have taken possession of a large portion,
especially the red scale. I am quite well aware
of his experiment in cutting away the trees
along that noble drive leading up to his house
some years ago to eradicate the scale, but in my
opinion after he had treated those trees as he
related, had he eradicated them from the bal-
ance of his orchard they never would have re-
turned to those trees. I think there is where
the error comes in. I hardly think there is a
question about that, that after treating that
avenue the scale bug was yet existent in the
other portions or his orchard, and, of course, it
is on its way back to those trees that were so
thoroughly treated. The red scale is confined
to only a few localities in this section of the
county. In the southern portion of the county
it is quite persistent and is exciting a good deal
of interest. In the section which I represent —
that is Pasadena — we have not had the red
scale, but we have had the cottony cushion
scale, and it has fallen to my lot to be the
guardian of that district. The first tree I
found on my place, I raised a rumpus about,
and went to the paper and advertised it, and
of course I had all Pasadena on my shoulders;
they said you are going to destroy Pasadena
by publishing that you had the cottony cushion
scale; fortunately I was not selling real estate,
and I did not care very much how those who
were giving their entire attention to selling lots
were disposed to growl because I was finding
that in my orchard. I immediately went down
to my tree and cut the top entirely away — that
is to say, I cut it so as to leave the branches

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

sticking up so [experimenting with his fingers],
preserving the contour of the top of the tree;
but I cut away every limb and every leaf, and
then I got simple, common soap and water and
scrubbed it down — every portion of it. I laid
down a canvas around the tree and put every
branch as I cut it off on that canvas and carried
down some hay and built a bonfire and burned
all the brush on that canvas in that bonfire.
Then I took a shovel and dug up the soil for,
say three inches, all around that tree and burned
the soil and shook the hot ashes around the sur-
face of the ground and went home. That was
the last of May, and there has not any scale-
bug appeared since. Now the tree has a fine
top, some of the limbs are an inch or more in
diameter, and there are no signs of the cottony
cushion scale at all: yet that tree was literally
alive with them. I state this for the purpose
of showing that there is a remedy. That is the
point; but it may take as much brain as kero-
sene or potash to eradicate the scale or any-
thing else. Now, I pretend to say that there
is not a white scale in California on an infested
tree but that can be eradicated from it by that
simple process, and it didn't cost half, probably,
what is being expended every day in the week
on things that are killing the trees as well as
the bugs. I relate this to show that there is a
remedy. There are other remedies, in my judg-
ment. In a little orchard where we supposed that
the scale had its first lodging in Pasadena, Mrs.
Black'sorchard.wefound 110 treesbadly infested.
It fell to my lot to attend to those trees and
see that those bugs were eradicated. A gentle-
man loaned me a spraying apparatus, and we
together got up a mixture different, somewhat,
from anything I had ever heard of at that time.
In the first place I had the tops of about 60 of
the worst trees entirely cut away as I had my
own and treated in the same way precisely. I
think a little coal oil was used in that mixture
for scrubbing the trunks down. The balance
of the 110 trees were thinned out and sprayed
with 14 pounds of caustic soda and four or five
pounds of common soap to the hundred gallons
of water. The soda cost us six cents a pound
wholesale, so the expense was scarcely a penny
a gallon. To but two of the trees that were
cut away and thoroughly washed did the scale
ever return up to four weeks ago; the others
are perfectly free to this day. Of the balance of
the trees, where the tops were not entirely cut
away, I found 18 that had a few scales on a few
weeks ago and I ordered those sprayed again.
Now, the point that I make is this: it is, as
Mr. Rose says, almost impossible to reach every
portion of the tree with any material that you
may use; and there is where the difficulty lies;
tben if you wanted to spray the trees repeatedly
with a strong solution you are going to kill
your trees; and why? Every time that you
spray with a strong solution you are checking
the flow of sap, you are .interfering with its
vitality, you are interfering with its functiong,
hence if you repeat that once a week, as some
have suggested, you constantly keep the tree
back and it will lose its vitality, and if it does
not kill it outright it will very seriously interfere
with its vigor, whereas, if you cut the top of the
tree away at the outset and use the simplest
material, you get rid of all the scale there is.
You destroy the last one, and by watching a
little along for the next two or three months,
there is no necessity of any scale returning to

any of those trees. There may be a few in the
soil. A cultivator never should be used about
those trees, for the insects pre carried by the
teeth of the cultivator from one tree to
another, and some persons may go in an
orchard and carry it from one to another.
But if you watch the trees they generally lodge
two or three feet from the surface of the ground
and, of course, you can kill them at once. Now,
here is a solution that costs scarcely a penny a
gallon that will kill this white scale. I use
caustic soda, which costs less than anything
else, and in the solution that I make, instead
of clear water I use a saturated solution of lime
water. Potash, of course, would be better than
soda because of its fertilizing value, but it costs
a little more than sal-soda. It only takes a
quarter of a pound of lime to make a gallon of
lime water, so you see it is comparatively inex-
pensive; and the lime itself will destroy the
fungus and some other things, especially if you
put in a pound or two of soap, and with your
caustic soda you have got a solution that costs
you a trifle over a penny a gallon, if it does
that, and most assuredly, gentlemen, it will de-
stroy the white scale. I cannot speak as to the
red scale as I have never tried it. It is an en-
tire remedy for the black scale, although I must
say that something has occurred in California
this year that has destroyed the black scale en-
tirely. In Pasadena and Orange and the places
I have visited we cannot find living specimens
of the black scale. I wish to suggest to people
who have the white scale that the quickest,
and surest, and safest method is to cut the top
away. It puts it right out, and in a few years
you will have a crop of fruit on it, and with
less trouble and less expense; and I believe the
vitality of the tree would be subserved by that
method.

Mr. Cooper : I would like to ask what the
expense would be to treat an orchard in that
way?

Dr. Conger : I paid 15 cents a tree for the
spraying of that solution. In cutting back and
pruning up I do not remember exactly; I think
for the whole work it was about $100 for the
100 trees, cutting the tops away, scrubbing
them down and burning the brush — the entire
work.

Mr. J. W. Sallee : I want to say a few
words about the red scale. I have just returned
from the southern part of the county, and have
talked with a great many fruit-raisers about the
eradication of the red scale. They have almost
universally come to this conclusion : that to
undertake to kill a red scale after it has ma-
tured and thoroughly attached to the leaf and
fruit is almost impossible. It is a scale that
attaches itself very closely to the fruit, so that
it is almost impossible to reach it with any
known solution, and it will hatch four times —
four generations in a year. When the young
bug first comes out it crawls around for a
couple of weeks, and in that stage it is very
easily killed, and it is the conclusion of all that
I talked with, that to kill the red scale you
must spray often enough to catcli the young
bugs on foot with a solution that will not cost
more than 25 cents a tree to spray in the
foliage, without cutting the top. Mr. Joel
Parker has some trees that have been infested
with the red scale for four years. He has only
sprayed once during each year until this year,
and he has preserved both the tree and the fruit.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

while his neighbors, who have not sprayed at
all, have lost the tops of their trees, and last
year the crop of fruit,

A Delegate: You speak of orange trees?

Mr. Sallee: The red scale does not infect de-
ciduous trees, and these trees I speak about are
orange trees exclusively. Had they sprayed
four or six tim 53 a year at the expense of 25
cents a tree that would be only $1.50 a tree,
and if it had been done this year- the fruit on
the tree would have more than paid all the ex-
penses and given a handsome return to the
owner besides. They have come to the conclu-
sion that if they spray frequently, catching the
young bugs on foot, they can eradicate them
entirely, and it nannofc be done in any other
way, and they spray with caustic soda, as rec-
ommended by the last speaker.

Dr. Conger: I wish to add what I have
omitted: that the solution of 14 pounds of caus-
tic soda to the hundred gallons would injure
the fruit to such an extent that it would make
it unmarketable. The necessity or the advisa-
bility of cutting away the top of the tree at the
outset is because if you have to spray them
continuously, as you have to unless you cut off
very materially, you destroy the fruit by spray-
ing with a solution that will kill the bug. That
is the fact,

Mr, Sallee: It does not require a strong solu-
tion to kill the young bug when it is crawling;
before it attaches itself to the tree or the fruit,

A Delegate: Hot weather seems to be more
conducive to the growth of the red scale than
cool weather, while cool damp weather is con-
ducive to the black scale. This season has been
a prolific one for the red scale. The means of
spreading the scale from one orchard to another
is a matter we ought to consider. It has been
suggested that birds carry the scale and it is
very probable that in building nests as they are
sometimes allowed to do in trees, will start a
growth of scale on a particular tree that will
spread to an adjoining tree. At our last horti-
cultural meeting in Orange we passed a series
of resolutions aimed at the honey bee; some are
very positive in their ideas that the honey
bee is one of the greatest means of spreading
the small scale (the red scale and possibly the
white scale), and we resolved as the sense of
our meeting that the apiaries should be removed
to the mountains beyond the reach of the or-
chard. It has been discovered in some cases
where small orchards were just beginning to
bear, that only those trees that had blossoms
were infested with the red scale, while others
surrounding them that had not blossomed yet
had none at all. That led us to conclude that
the scale was carried by the bees as they visited
the blossoms. If that is a fact it is a question
of interest to be considered: because when an
orchard is once clean it ought not to be again
replanted with the scale by the bees or the
birds. We are all friends of the birds, but if
they are going to attack our means of livelihood,
we will have to attack them also.

Mr, Goepper, of Santa Ana: I think that
Mr, Sallee is mistaken about the red scale
not going on any trees but citrus trees. At
our last meeting at Orange a gentleman there
stated he has found the Italian cypress trees
thickly covered with them, I didn't see it my-
self, but there are other gentlemen here that
heard the statement and remember his name,

Mr. Sallee: I have seen the red scale on

other trees, but I have never seen them appear
to breed on those trees. They seem to have
been carried there after they had hatched, I
don't think that they hatch on any other trees
except citrus trees,

Mr. Milco: Last summer a fruitgrower in
your vicinity, in San Joaquin came to me and
said he had 12 acres of common prune trees
and there seemed to be thousands of the San
Jose scale running at large all over the trees.
He asked me to come over and make some ex-
periments with buhach. I drove over to his
place with a small quantity of the powder of
buhach and made a solution at the rate of 50
gallons of water to a pound of buhach, which
would cost about a cent a gallon (if a person
were buying it in large quantities), and I sprayed
three or four trees, just for an experiment, and
told the gentleman that I would come over
again and examine those trees and bring a mi-
croscope and see what the result was. Before
we sprayed the trees they were perfectly alive
with living scale about the size of chicken-lice;
you could fairly see them with the naked eye.
The next time we came there and cut off a
piece of a tree about as big as a silver five-cent
piece and placed it under a powerful micro-
scope, and I dare say there was a thousand
dead insects on it — some of them stuck to the
bark and others hanging in every shape — but
dead; not moving. In three or four days after
that, the same man come back again and said,
"You have not killed the scale-bug at all; they
are creeping all over the tree." It is a fact, as
the preceding speaker has said, that these
scales are coming out in several breeds; a lot of
them may come out to day and another lot next
day and so on for eight or ten days, and while
they are coming out in that way I don't think
there will be any trouble to kill them. And
that applies not only to the San Jose scale, but
to every other insect that is moving, A solu-
tion of buhach will do it without any danger to
the tree, the foliage or the fruit.

Mr. Sallee: I want to make one more sug-
gestion on the subject and I will illustrate it by
cultivation. No orchardist would undertake to
cultivate his orchard once in a year ajid let it go
for the rest of the time because the weeds will
spring up, he must go frequently and kill those
weeds as they come; neither does he want to
buy a steam engine to do his cultivating: he
wants the cheapest material he can work with.
It is just so with the scale bug; if we expect to
eradicate the red scale especially we must do it
by frequent application of a cheap spray that
will kill them and a very cheap spray will kill
them when they are on foot; but when they are
attached it is not wise to try to kill them. As
Mr, Rose has said there are many failures
though many have been killed, and if left alone
they will in a very short time, cover the entire
tree. It has been well said that the price of or-
anges is eternal vigilance,

Mr, Garey: This whole scale bug question
is a matter of experiment in the State of Cali-
fornia and will be for a good long time. One
man is using one solution, another man is using
another; one a certain emulsion and another
another emulsion and so on, and so the matter
is experimental. We will be in this experimen-
tal stage for a considerable length of time, and
tliere is this about that: in this matter of ex-
periment we must be careful not to ruin our or-
chards nor to bankrupt ourselves ; we cannot

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

afford I think to spray our trees six times a
year at the cost of 25 cents a tree each time. It
looks very well on paper to sit down and figure
out how much your orchard, your crop will
bring you, and that if we spray and save our
crop it will bring so much money and we will
have so much left, but the solid facts are that it
costs ^160 per annum on that plan just for the
one item ofjspraying our trees. We cannot afford
it; orange orchards will be a thing of the past
in a few years if we have got to continue that
year after year; we must find a cheap and ef-
fective remedy that will do its work if possible
at one operation, and that will do it thoroughly
and effectually so that we have some time to
rest; some time to recuperate. To-day we are
told there are effective remedies that run from
one penny to seven cents a gallon; that is a
wide range. iSlow, then, if the penny remedy is
effective, that is the thing we are after, for we
must get down to a cheap and efiicient remedy.
The Board of Supervisors of this county have
offered as a premium or reward $1000 to be
given to the party who will invent
and apply a cheap and safe and efficient
remedy for the destruction of the cottony
cushion scale. Some of us want that $1000, and
I hope some of us will get it, for that is what
we must have. There are men in this county
that can afford to pay $50, $75 or $100 an acre to
clear up their orchard, because they have some-
thing else, but I tell you, Mr. President, there
is not one man in ten in Los Angeles, or any
other county, that can afford anything of the
kind. You may take and cut a tree off, denude
it completely of branches and leaves and every-
thing down to the bare trunk, and take nothing
in the world but a bucketful of water and a
certain amount of elbow-grease, and commence
at the top and work that right through from
the top to the bottom, and you will kill every
white scale on it: that you will do by mere man-
ual force, and a man can do about 20 or 25 trees
a day, I think, after the limbs are cut off. I
just speak of this to show that it can be done.
Here is Mr. Conger, and my friend who sits on
the right, who manages the Cascarona orchard
of 1500 tr^es, in this city, who has had a great
deal of practical experience, and who has suc-
ceeded in using common refuse soap that was
formerly worth nothing, and is now sold at a
cent and a half a pound. With this material
and a scrubbing-brush, and the willing power of
his good right hand, he has gone to work and
cleared this place, and now it is perfectly
clean. As Mr. Rose says, the white scale is
very easily killed, very easily handled. He is
very niuch mistaken about the last part of it.
It is veiy easily killed, but it is the hardest
bug to handle, so far as the entire destruction
of it is concerned. There are very few reme-
dies that don't kill a scale bug; the'trouble is,
you don't get it on all of them and they increase
so fast and crawl up the tree again. I would
like to hear from Mr. George Rice, the Secre-
tary of the Commission for this section. He is
a practical man, and; one who has had a great
deal of experience.

County Commissions.
George Rice : The Horticultural Commis-
sion is appointed by the Board of Supervisors,
as provided in the State law, and every county
in the State can have such a commission. I
don't believe any other county has appointed
one; has there, Mr. Chapin ?

Dr. Chapin: There are quite a number of
counties that have appointed county Boards of
horticultural commissioners. Some of them
have recently appointed new members to fill
vacancies which have existed by natural drop-
ping out and the time expiring for which the
commisbioners were appointed. Ventura is one
county; San Diego has lately appointed a new
commission, and Kern county has done so.
There are other counties that have commissions,
but they are not working accurately, and
in fact it has been owing to some misunder-
standing as to what they may be permitted to
do under the county lav/s, and without coming
in contact with the State law on the subject. A
little further on, if it is desired, I will express
the views which some have taken upon that
subject, and which would open a practical way
for perfect harmony and for a very effectual
method of performing this work.

Mr. Rice: I presume one reason that the
commissions of different counties are not effect-
ive is because the Supervisors have not appro-
priated any money for them. This county ap-
propriated a sum for the expenses of the com-
missioners and the inspectoi's. This commission
has been in existence four months; we have
written to evex'y spot on the globe where they
have the cottony cushion scale or any other
scale, for their remedies. We have received
papers from Australia and India, and had cor-
respondence with the department of Washing-
ton and Prof. Riley and his assistants, and we
have compiled everything on that subject that
we could get; every man in Los Angeles city
that has a remudy, and every man that has an
orchard has a remedy (and a good many of
them have different remedies to try), and we
have seen the orchard where the remedy has
been tried. The law does not compel any man to
use the remedy recommended by this commission
on the start, j^roviding he kills the scale bug, and
this commission has been only desirous of kill-
ing the scale bug without reference to the rem-
edy or the expense, except that we prefer it to
be done economically on account of the
orchardists. We have recommended two or
three different things; we have changed twicej
once from whale oil soap to common brown
soap, simply to cheapen it and because the
whale oil soap spoilt the fruit, and our object
was to kill the scale bug- We know of no rem-
edy so far that we believe is better than the
kerosene emulsion that is recommended by
Prof. Riley, and that has been in existence for
several years. We have made some changes in
the strength; we have added potash and some
use it with and some without. I believe I could
name 20 remedies that will kill the scale, but
the only point is to put the remedy on the bug.
I believe that this bug is to be exterminated
more by main strength and a great deal of awk-
wardness than by any particular remedy. I
hope that the $1000 reward that the county
Supervisors have offered will call out a remedy
that will in some way exterminate them, but I
doubt about such a thing being reached I
doubt that I or any of us will live to see the
scale bug exterminated in this county. I will
tell you why: A and B, and you may go down
to the last letter of the alphabet, will extermi-
nate the scale in their orchards, but this dili-
gent man, Z, he is always in the center, and he
keeps enough to supply the neighbors, and
about the time they think the scale bug is ex-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

terminated, they are not paying so much atten-
tion to it, they are not spraying so often, and
the first thing they know they have got the
scale bug back again. This scale bug is on the
ground, it is in the woods, it is everywhei-e.
We have not found a plant of any description
or kind but what it goes on; it seems to be
fond of everything. Now, the remedy is, as I
said before, everything: and it has really a
comical side. We have ti-amped all over this
town, hunting these remedies; only the day
before yesterday a man came to our office, and
he had a sure thing that would eradicate the
scale — quite an intelligent man; we apppointed
the next morning at 9 o'clock to be at his place,
and we went down where there were two or
three trees about as high as my head, and he
showed the trees he had been experimenting
on. He had dipped a feather in the remedy
and touched each particul&r scale bug. This is
a sample of the remedy. We could have
killed the scale bug on that tree with a
dish rag, because it was a very small tree,
but they are not all dead on it yet, I could
name a good many other such experiments.
We have some other gentlemen here who are
experimenting and I would like to have them
tell their own stories.

With respect to fumigating a great many per-
sons seem to think that by treating the tree as
Mr. Rose suggested a while ago, that they could
kill every scale bug on the tree and likely those
on the ground under the tree, but I don't know
what to say, to tell you the truth, except this,
and that is vigilance and work. There is no
trouble about killing the scale bug on the tree
by the proprietor of the place where he is inter-
ested and intelligent. He could make an emul-
sion or he could apply hot water that is hot
when it reaches the bug, or he could apply a
hundred other diiferent remedies t9 kill them
and exterminate them, but his negligent neigh-
bor brings them back again; he forgets
that there are a few weeds that are infes-
ted with them on while the rest of the orchard
is clean, and he gets them back again. There
is a Utile something about this that may be
pleasing in this discussion: you go in the exhibi-
tion hall and I will show you the first clean
fruit I ever saw in Los Angeles. They have all
had a trademark. There are one or two sam-
ples that have that trademark still from or-
chards that have been thoroughly sprayed; we
have calculations in our orchards from a reli-
able gentleman who gave us the figures that the
difference in the price of his crop of clean fruit
last year and what it was a year before a good
deal more than paid for the expenses of clean-
ing his trees, and paid him a handsome outlay
over and above the expenses. I believe if we
could have a little show of the scale bug in the
top of the tree to keep the farmer continuously
cleaning his trees and make him keep the tree
clean, those who grow citrus fruits may still
find it an advantage so that they might keep on
cleaning if they had not a scale bug in the
world. However, I am very anxious to eradi-
cate this scale ; but, as I said before, it needs
intelligent work. If only one man did his own
work it would soon be ended, but the proprietor
goes ahead and makes experiments and goes
about his business and the Chinaman sprays
along leisurely, and I could tell you about a
dozen orchards where the commissioners
dropped in to see how they were getting along

with the work and they were simply playing;
the men know nothing about the subject what-
ever. They were not spraying, they were spend-
ing the money on the orchard, but they were
simply fooling. Frequently gentlemen would
come along and say that stuff does not kill, and
we have gone to see the orchard to see what
was the matter and invariably found a
man with a single action pump and a Chinaman
with a bucketful of spray pumping it onto the
top of a tree 30 feet high, and, of course, it was.
not effectual,

Mr, Garey: What kind of scale was it on the
tree? Where it was that the party figured that
the improved price of the fruit paid for the
cleaning ?

Mr. Rice: The black scale, and we have an
instance of the cottony cushion scale this year.
They e timate that they can get a better price
for the oranges this year.

Dr. Congar: I would like to add one word
on the difference of materials, the reason why
we should reject one material and select others.
Caustic soda is used frequently to eradicate
ulcers; it is used as a caustic in its full sense on
the human flesh. Why? Because the moment
that the pure article touches the hriman flesh it
burns it and causes a scar; if you don't neutral-
ize it, it will burn to the bone. It don't stop
there, it will burn the bone itself. It is literally
a fire; that is the property of caustic potash or
caustic soda. Now you understand the use of
the material; why it kills. It touches the more
delicate membrane of the animal, the cottony
scale or whatever scale you are treating, and
the moment you touch it it burns just as you
burn the human flesh — it literally burns them
up. Now you take kerosene, or coal oil as it is
called, of high test; it is used by mothers about
their children's necks for croup, diphtheria and
other things; you can use it upon your hand for
a sprain as a liniment; it never burns; it will
create excitement or irritation, but it has not
the power of caustic soda at all. Wo want to
make a distinction between the remedies we are
employing, so that we can understand when we
use it what we may expect .from it and make
the strength accordingly, so that we do not kill
the tree. The moment you touch the tree with
the oil it will kill it; that is why I prefer caus-
tic potash or caustic soda to all these other rem-
edies.

Dr. Lockspeitch, of Orange: I am a practi-
cal man of seven years in the culture of the
orange. I have watched the scale bug; that is,
the black scale first; secondly, I have watched
the red scale. I commenced to doctor the
black scale bug and used Mr. Cooke's remedy
— the worst character of whale oil soap that
they manufacture in San Francisco — and that
didn't kill them. Mr. Cooke gave another
remedy of using the commonest preparation of
caustic soda, that is, concentrated lye, which
costs eight and a half cents per pound by the
case, and only 50 per cent of caustic in it. He
told us to use it of a certain strength; that
strength would eat up the valves of the pump
and almost make soap out of it. Next we com-
menced with the best article of whale oil soap
manufactured in Los Angeles. We used it
one-half pound to a gallon of water, to kill the
black scale, and sprayed my trees. The next
year I had a better crop of black scale than I
had before. That was three years ago, and we
spent considerable money then, and I assure

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

you it takes money with the muscle. We then
bought the best article of Los Angeles soap and
we used SO pounds to 100 gallons of water,
and we sprayed in August, and we have not a
single black scale that we can find on our
trees. We had not had our attention drawn to
the red scale, and still it was crawling in upon
us and we hardly knew we had it. We were
using, as I say, SO pounds of soap to 100 gal-
lons of water, that is almost a pound to the
gallon, and it costs us considerable. It cost
us over $1500 to spray our orchard, and we
had not killed the red scale bug, and the ques-
tion arose. What are we to do? Lots of our
brothers will certainly fail in the pocket. Mus-
cle is good, but the money is getting low, so
we must get something that will hold up
the money part. The muscle is as strong as
ever, the will as good as ever, we can spray as
well as any man in the world, and I challenge
any man to beat us in spraying the trees, but
we found that didn't kill the red scale, and if
it did we couldn't keep it up so as to extermi-
nate them; so we must get something else.
Soap is composed of potash and a certain amount
of grease, that neutralizes the soda, and it is
-neither grease or soda; your soda does not seem
to mix well with water and certain prepara-
tions, and you must find some remedy —some
way of mixing this caustic soda as not to de-
stroy its properties entirely, because that is the
very remedy that will kill your bug. You
use one sixth part or one-tenth part of the soda
that the Los Angeles County Board uses in its
soap; you use it directly upon your trees, and
it will kill the bugs and will not kill the trees,
and you can reduce it down to a still finer point
than that. We have sprayed this year three
times with a preparation that we do not know
will kill bugs or not; no man gives us a
remedy that he knows that will kill bugs;
everybody has a remedy, but the bugs are get-
ting thicker and thicker, and how are we going
to reach them ? I do not propose to tell you my
remedy until I know it will be efficient, but
this is the direction : get the caustic or soda
and reduce it down to that point that it will
take effect upon the scale bug and not kill your
trees, and it is the cheapest remedy and most
direct remedy that can be used for the scale
bug. I tell you the way we are working at it
now will not accomplish the destruction of the
scale bug. We have been washing three years,
and have scale bugs still on our trees. What
are we going to do about it ? I say we can do
it, but xvill we do it is the great question; if we
can't do it right at once the best and the wis-
est policy, if we find we have made a mistake
in planting orange trees, is to dig them up and
cultivate something else. That is the way I
look at it.

A Delegate : Have you tried kerosene emul-
sions ?

Dr. Lockspeitch: I have, sir. I have tried
over 30 remedies. A man approached me the
other day and said, he had the very thing.
"What is it?" He said, "Fumigating will do it."
Three years ago I tried that. I took a tent and
oiled it thoroughly and spread it over the tree;
then I had the bugs of different classes and took
very young chickens and put them into my
tent. Then I built a fire and I ran the fumes
into that tent. It did not kill a single live bug
that I put in there, nor did it kill the little
chickens, but in two days from the day that I

did it the tree was as dead as a mackerel.
That is fumigating with sulphur. I used the
squirrel remedy also, and I never had any suc-
cess with it; that is, I killed my bugs, but I also
killed the tree.

Mr. Gompere: I shall not say much on this
insect question from the little experience that I
have had. When I first started in on the or-
chard I have charge of, there were only about
three trees that were infested. For a few days
we thought we would eradicate the pest and
say nothing about it. We went to work spray-
ing our trees on the sly, and before we knew it
there were some more trees full of them and we
could not keep it still any longer. Everybody
wanted to know what we were doing, and fin-
ally we began to seek information, and tried
this man's remedy and that man's remedy, and
then I commenced to try a remedy of my own.
I took a tent and placed it over a tree, and got
a couple of my neighbors over there and we
burned about 15 pounds of sulphur under there
and let it burn for four hours, and I believe if a
mule had stuck his head in that tent it would
have killed him, and it did not kill the scale
bug; but the minute I removed the canvas the
sun struck the leaves and they turned white,
and tbe wind scattered the leaves all over the
orchard. We commenced spraying again and
could not get rid of the bugs; there were always
some left. Finally I went and I topped the tree
off and I scrubbed the trunk off with
a brush and common soap. I have 400
trees that I cleaned in this way and I can say
are practically clean — that is, since last March.
But on one side my orchard is full of them
yet, and on the other side my neighbor's or-
chard is full, and as a matter of course, they
will keep coming back. From my experience I
am satisfied you never will eradicate the scale
bug otherwise than by taking and removing the
top of your trees and scrubbing them down by
hand. If you have to go to work and spray
your orchard two or three or four times, the
fruit is not going to pay for the labor.

A Delegate: Are you following out that sys-
tem of cleaning out the bugs?

Mr. Gompere: Yes; I intend' to whenever
my neighbor gats into the same notion, but if
he don't, I will have his bugs coming over on
to me.

Mr. James Bettner, of Riverside: I have
listened with a great deal of interest to this
discussion about the scale-bugs; I fortunately
come from a portion of the country where, at
present, we have none — but we can not expect
to always enjoy that immunity. I have lived
in this country ever since the scale-bug first
came here, and have watched its progress. It
has been said here by several gentlemen that
this pest has kept on increasing, notwithstand-
ing all the campaigns that have been carried on
against it. I think the vital point has been
touched by Mr. Gompere, who has just sat
down: that this action, to accomplish anything,
has got to be universal. Unless universal ac-
tion is compelled by law, it does not seem to
me that anything is going to be accomplished
in the extermination of scale-bugs. They may
be killed; but a supply is always nearer or
more remote from you, and it is going to come
back. I must coufess I would contemplate
with a great deal of awe the cutting back of my
orchard to nothing — destroying my crop for
two years certainly, and probably more than

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

that, with the almost certain apprehension
that when the two years had elapsed the scale-bug
would be back again from my neighbor's and I
would have lost my two-years' crop. Now,
there have been many remedies suggested
here, and, no doubt, they all are more or less
efficacious; and there is no doubt that, by con-
stant spraying one time and another, the scale-
bug can be kept in subjection. But the profit
in fruit-growing is not large enough at present
— I do not know as it is going to be in the fu-
ture, to justify the expense of $50 an acre and
from that up to $100 — as I know some of my
neighbors have spent in fighting scale bugs.

Mr. Thomas, of Visalia: I promised this fore-
noon to speak in reference to the matter of the
saline mixture in regard to the destruction of
the San Jose scale and to bring some samples of
wood, I have them here, and by applying the
glass, you can see it was entirely killed, noth-
ing left on it at all after this solution had been
used. There had been a growth running out
on these trees from 18 to 30 inches and by ap-
plying the glass carefully I could not find a live
insect on any growth that had formed after the
trees had been washed in a strong brine. This
was found where a gentleman in the Central
Colony, Fresno, had applied it on apricot trees
and some peach and apple in August, and as far
as I could see the remedy was efifectual, simply
using the brine as strong as he could make it.
He applied it by taking a cloth and rubbing the
tree ; didn't use any spray at all. I do not
know whether any person else has used it or
seen it used,

A Delegate: I tried the salt brine on some
trees of mine with the spray. It will remove
the foliage from the tree,^t will kill the tender
shoots in the tree, and will not kill the bug.
The only bugs I found it killed was where it was
killed by the force of the pump; the force itself
will do it, and you can do it with cold water if
you have enough force. As fur as salt brine
killing them is concerned, it will not,

Mr. Milco: A friend of mine in Stockton,
Mr. Beers, the banker, told me he saw in an arti-
cle on the subject in one of our agricultural
papers from the East, that by placing a handful
of salt around the roots of the peach trees you
would remove the borers. He was a little
afraid at first, but he thought he would put on
about one half of that and try it. He said in
about three months there were no more trees.
They were all dead. That is the result of his
experience.

Laws to Prevent Spread of Pests.

Mr. Milco : I would ask some of our law-
yers as to the present law. They tell me the
law has given a great deal of trouble. I think
the present law is just as efi:ectual as any we
can make on the subject. The point is they
have to enforce it. I say let us go ahead and
enforce the law.

Mr. Wilcox: This is a very important ques-
tion, and I think we cannot say too much about
it. I believe we can destroy the scale. I have
had my doubts about it at times, but last year
I had two hours' talk with Prof. Riley at New
Orleans, and he tells me positively you can kill
any insect pest that ever existed, anji those who
heard him lecture went away satisfied that they
could destroy that pest. The only trouble is,
can you enforce a law, even if it is a rather
troublesome and discouraging proposition? For

instance, this cottony cushion scale appeared in
Santa Clara township three or four years ago
within the limits of the town and the trees
were cut down and burned. The next year I
saw them northwest, coming directly toward
my place. They struck the square of the pub-
lic schoolhouse, and I could not prevail on the
trustees to cut those trees down and have them
stop right there. Finally they let them be
cut and piled them up in the street, and
strange as it may appear they did not spread
more from that point. It is unaccountable to
me why they did not. Those limbs which were
piled up there were as white as if they were
covered with snow. They were swept by the
wind for months, and yet afterwards be less in
that vicinity than there was at that time. Some
of the trees have some on now, and then there
will be a space where there is none at all. It
is rather discouraging that we cannot enforce
this law; of course, we have got to have a
remedy, and I should appeal to the horticul-
tural officer to know whether they are satisfac-
tory to him. It is a question whether you can
enforce any rule unless you can show a jury
that it is a law founded in right, and that it has
a practical bearing.

Dr. Chapin: In regard to the matter of in-
sect pests and the laws relating to the extirpa-
tion of them, it has been a serious question be-
fore the people of the State for several years to
induce the various Legislatures of the State to
provide suitable laws, under which this work
could be effectually done. It has proved, in
fact, that no Legislature which we have had that
has treated upon these subjects at all has been
willing to do all that was necessary in the mat-
ter, to nphold to uphold the hands of those to
whom it had delegated certain powers, but yet
not sufficient to enable them to accomplish the
work. Moreover, the greatest difficulty of all
has been thas there has not been a
provision of money sufficient to secure
the performance of work. It is to a large
degree a matter of manual labor and also mental
labor, and the ove; seeing of the work of those
who do perform the manual labor. The fact
has been very apparent all the while, that there
is a lack of money somewhere to pay these peo-
ple for their services. If I may be permitted to
express an opinion in regard to the whole sub-
ject in one word: it is not a lack of authority to
proceed, in our present laws, but it is a lack of
money to pay 'for the necessary work to be
done. As has been already suggested, the great
object in this work is to have it done simultane-
ously over a large section of country; we will
take Los Angeles for example: this cottony
cushion scale, so called (the Iscerya purchasi,
which is the technical and proper name for the
insect, and it should be known as such), is now
confined to a certain region of country. It does
not as yet extend over very many square
miles, but in order to have this work effect-
ual in any instance the work must be done
simultaneously over all the region of country
thus infested by this insect, and in order to
accomplish that there must be a provision for
money for the labor to do the work. It has
been truly said in this convention that there
are twenty — yes, a hundred different remedies,
any one of which is effectual for the destruc-
tion of this insect pest — provided that the
work is done all at one time, and then that the
insects will be reached by the preparation,

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

whatever it may be that is used for their de-
struction. It can be done by manual labor; by
many of the very cheapest insecticides, and by
the most costly ones. It may be done by
simply reaching every individual insect; and,
of course, if a few were left untouched by any
of these different preparations they are ready
to propagate their species, and the tree and the
entire neighborhood surrounding becomes _ in-
fested again. I have come to the conclusion,
deliberately, that it is not so much the partic-
ular preparation that is used, and I do not ad-
vocate any one particular preparation for that
purpose at all. I care not what people may
use, provided they will take something that
will destroy the insects, and provided we all
work together harmoniously for the accom-
plishment of that one object, and at one time.
If people will ever be got to that point and will
proceed upon that basis they can ex' erminate
these various pests. Even the coddling-moth
can be exterminated if it be done in that way;
but the only way in which the coddling-moth
can be exterminated in this State or in any lo-
cality which may he sufficiently isolated to pre-
vent the spread of the larvte from one point to
the other, must be by the destruction of the
fruit upon which this insect feeds. If that
should be done tor one season, the codlin
moth would have no fruit upon which to de-
posit her eggs, and the larvae when hatched
from the eggs, having nothing to feed upon,
would die. That is the only way in which that
insect can be exterminated, though we may
suppress it to a great degree by careful work,
I might carry this illustration to many of the
other insect pests. There has been no test case
brought forward so as to determine by the pro-
cess of the courts to what extent our laws are
constitutional or valid. It is not absolutely
necessary that that course should be pursued,
but if it is, there must be a provision of money
to pay the expenses of carrying on such a
suit. It has been often hinted and said that
the State Board of Horticulture ought to do all
these things. We have no authority given us
by law to pay the fees of lawyers or the ex-
penses of court proceedings to test these ques-
tions. Individuals may take them up and
carry them forward to such a conclusion, and
that they have the privilege of doing, but there
has been a general tendency on the part of all
concerned as far as possible to avoid the trial
of such actions. In this county it has been the
desire and the intention, I believe, of those in
authority to avoid as far as possible bringing to
trial these matters to see whether the law is
valid or not.

Another suggestion I would make is that
there must be entire harmony prevailing be-
tween those in authority. There are state laws
which are sufficient in their effect to carry for-
ward this work authoritatively, fully and effect-
ively, and there are county laws and other or-
dinances, and where there may be full harmony
xisting as to the methods by which work shall
be carried on, it may cause confusion and dis-
astrous result, instead of the thoroughly effect-
ive results that are desired. Now, I would
suggest as I did to the County Board of Super-
visors of Los Angeles last summer in meeting
with them here : that they provide the means
necessary for the carrying on of this important
work in Los Angeles county, and that they
work effectively under the laws which are

already in existence, that by so doing the work
may be harmoniously carried on, and possibly
produce the results which we all desire. The
State laws which govern these matters all rec-
ognize the County Government Act of 1881,
which is still upon the statute books of the
State. There is no conflict of authority be-
tween the provisions of that act and the sub-
sequent laws passed by other Legislatures. Of
course, if a conflict should exist, then that in
so far as that is concerned, becomes null and
void, but wherein there is no conflict, work
under that law can be carried on, and in order
that the officers who are there named may be
paid for their services (for no man will work
without compensation in some direction for his
services), I suggest that they work under their
County Government Act, appointing county
commissioners, and these commissioners in turn
appointing local inspectors from the number of
quarantine guardians which had already or pre-
viously been appointed in accordance with the
law relating to the extirpation of fruit pests,
and in that way paying for the services of those
guardians, and at the same time giving them a
legal standing which would enable them to go
without any warning or any request of any
person, but by virtue of their own authority,
onto the premises of any person and examine
the fruit trees there, or any other trees that
might harbor insect pests, and directing that
they should be cared for — be treated in such a
manner as might be prescribed, providing the
parties themselves fail to do the work with any
remedy that they might prefer previous to that.
Now, I think this work should be carried on in
full sympathy with this plan, and I think that
we have all the legal authority that is neces-
sary in the matter, and if money is provided in
that way the work can be accomplished as to
give the utmost satisfaction to all the people of
the State.

Mr. Shinn, of Alameda county: I had pre-
pared a resolution which I thought of offering
at the conclusion of the last discussion touching
this point, and I will with permission read it,
as it may form something of a basis for discus-
sion, or at least it may limit discussion some-
what, since it is pretty generally admitted that
the laws we already have are in the main suf-
ficient to govern the case, provided we pursue
the proper course; but if that be not so and if
the fruit interests of the State are what we sup-
pose them to be, it is a matter of enough im-
portance to occupy the attention of the Legis-
lature, Perhaps after hours of discussion we
may not arrive at anything more definite than to
say that if the present Inws are effective we will
execute them, as it has been suggested by Dr.
Chapin. There is a point that needs to be agi-
tated, and that is the lack of money to carry
out the laws as they should be carried out, and
my resolution is simply to this effect: Re-
solved, as the sense cf this convention, that we
must have the money to carry out this act, and
the Legislature must authorize the counties or
municipalities to make such appropriation under
the cover of law. We must have the quaran-
tine protection, and the men who are do-
ing the work must be go-ahead, live men,
with authority to do all they can to eradicate
these pests.

The Chairman: I would add two other
points to this resolution; that is, that it is the
sense of this convention that the scale bug can

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

be eradicated; 2d, that this can be done only
by universal and simultaneous action in the in-
fested district.

The amendments were accepted.
Mr. Bettner: I would like to ask Dr. Cha-
pin if in his opinion the fruit growers of this
State could not ask the Legislature for an ap-
propriation? I would like to offer a resolution
that it is the sense of this convention that such
an appropriation should be made.

Mr. Garey: I think if I understand the
matter we have a State law that provides for a
quarantine, and provides for the Board of Su-
pervisors at the request of five taxpayers to ap-
point a commission, and that the inspectors ap-
pointed by such Board shall be the same par-
ties, it being arranged between them, that
is appointed by the State officer as guar-
dian, and in that roundabout way they
can get due compensation for their work from
the Board of Supervisors from the several coun-
ties. It seems to me that the act of legislation
that we need now is a direct law providing for
the compensation of the guardians. The law is
only inoperative because it does not provide for
compensation. We need an appropriation by
the State for the purpose of enabling us to ex-
terminate this pest, and to ask the Legislature
now to pass a law on the subject when we al-
ready have a law that we have never under-
taken to enforce, does not look well.

Mr. Shinn: It was not the object of my
resolution to ask for a law that we already have,
but, as explained by Dr. Chapin, it was that
that law should be backed by a sufficient appro-
priation to put it into effect, and not by any
roundabout method.

A Delegate: If I understand the law, it is
effective and satisfactory; all we need is to have
the backbone of our Supervisors braced up a
little. We have filed our claims for our county
and it has been allowed out of the general fund,
the same as any other appropriation. Why
should we go before the Legislature again? We
have under our county Government bill an am-
ply sufficient law, the same as any other law.
If Mr Garey's horse has the glanders,'the Board
of Supervisors can appoint a commission and go
and investigate that matter, and kill his horse
instantly, and Mr. Garey can't help it. If we
look upon this as a common nuisance, I think it
is operative; all we lack is action on the part
of the Board of Supervisors.

Dr. Chapin: A fatal mistake was made in
the matter by our last Legislature in not making
provision for the payment of the quarantine
guardians for their services. It was against
my protest that the bill was introduced in the
manner in which it was. Senator Whitney of
Alameda county introduced the bill, and know-
ing that he was to do so, I requested him per-
sonally to postpone the introduction of the bill
until certain changes could be made in it, with
reference to that very matter of providing com-
pensation for the quarantine guardians (officers
which it proposed to appoint), and stating that
unless that was done it would prove ineffective;
it would kill the actual work which it was de-
sired to carry out. But Mr. Whitney intro-
duced the bill the very next morning, the mo-
ment the President gave the opportunity for
the introduction of bills, and no opportunity
was given to any person to suggest any changes.
Then the argument was used, and carried out
by a number who were friends of the measure '

in the Senate and in the Assembly, that it
would not be wise at all to attempt any changes
or amendments to the bill for fear that they
might defeat entirely the passage of any bill
that might help us. As I said in the first place,
the Legislature haven't been willing to do all
that was necessary, but they have done enough,
so that in this roundabout way, as Mr. Garey
has suggested, it could be ttill made effective
provided the Supervisors would do their
duty: and I must say, without any
qualification whatever, that Boards of Supervis-
ors in the different counties of the State — and I
do not refer to Los Angeles particularly, but I
include that with all the other counties of
the State — must be given credit for hav-
ing done a great deal. They have devoted a
large sum of money to that purpose, and I feel
they should receive the thanks of the commun-
ity — but there has been the disposition on the
part of those of all the counties of the State to
guard against the waste of money, and in their
great care to guard against waste they have
permitted themselves to go to the other extreme
and haven't had the courage, the moral stability
of purpose, to say that this money shall be de-
voted to this purpose. We, as fruit-growers of
the State and taxpayers, have the right to de-
mand that they shall do these things. There is
where the greatest difficulty exists in my mind;
if the Supervisors of the different counties will
furnish the money by their votes to carry on
this work it can be done effectively in the very
way in which we are working, under the very
laws that we have now.

Mr. Rice : In reference to the law that we
have, and are working under in this county, it
seems to be effective. We have not had a test
case. We have not tried particularly to get
a test case, but in three instances where we
had determined to make a test, when ^the time
came the parties having the scale bugs came
out and cleaned them up. I wish to say one
word on behalf of the Supervisors of this county,
that they have answered the call of the mass
meeting held in this city of the principal fruit-
growers of the county, asking certain appropri-
ations; that they have, so far as it was possible
for them to do it, met every claim and given
every dollar asked for, though probably in not
exactly the terms that was asked. The expense
bills last month were something over $800.
They were asked to offer a reward of $1000 for
some sure cure, and they did it at once. I
simply state this in defense of our Supervisors,
so that the strangers may know that we are in
dead earnest down here, and I would say, also,
in regard to the County Board and the guar-
dians appointed by our State Board, the guar-
dians of the State were appointed as inspectors,
so that we work under both laws, and we think
that there is no doubt but what it is effective,
and so do the people that have scale bugs.

Mr. Aiken, of Santa Cruz : In listening to
this talk about the laws, it is very clear to me
that the law is as good as it can be drawn ;
there can be no hope of an appropriation from
the Legislature. I was up there during the time
that this bill was under discussion and I am
certain that no appropriation could have been
obtained — not a dollar. The theory upon which
an appropriation would be asked would be, that
the city of San Francisco and the mountain
counties where they raise no fruit, should be
taxed to kill the cottony cushion scale in Los

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

Angeles, and the San Jose scale at San Jose. It
is very doubtful whether the Legislature would
ever appropriate money from all the taxpayers
of the State for these local purposes, so the law
as it is drawn, placed the power to appropriate
just where it belongs in the hands of the Super-
visors of the county. They know the needs of
their counties, and they can appropriate the
money belonging to the counties, and if this law
is only enforced, I would say, go ahead ; there
are no obstacles in the way; take possession of
a man's orchard by force if you choose. If he
thinks you have damaged him let him com-
mence a suit himself for damages. Let him en-
join you when you take possession of the trees
and the burden is on him. You do not need
any test case at all; they may carry it to the
Superior Court and pay all bills; let him do it,
but let us simply stand firm and make a brave
front. As to the question about the constitu-
tionality of the law, there is nothing in it. It
is in the power of the Legislature to pass it, and
no Superior Court in this State, as I should
judge, would ever declare it unconstitutional.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
That act of the Legislature is constitutional un-
til it is declared by the highest court in this
State to be unconstitutional; so that being the
case, enforce the law; appropriate that money
by the Board of Supervisors, and if anybody
wants to fight, let them do the fighting.

Dr. Chapin: I would like to make an ex-
planation in connection with questions concern-
ing the Supervisors and their duties in this mat-
ter. While the Supervisors of some counties are
in sympathy with this movement and are will-
ing to aid by their votes or their voices in fur-
nishing money for the carrying on of the work,
yet there are other Supervisors of other coun-
ties that are not willing to give this encourage-
ment. President Cooper has just told me that
those of Santa Barbara county are not willing
to do this. Consequently, while those of Los
Angeles may be willing to do all they can in
in reference to carrying out this work of
destruction of the cottony cushion scale,
yet the Supervisors of Santa Barbara county,
lacking in that intention and willingness, will
continue the cottony cushion scale at Santa
Barbara, and in due course of time — supposing
we were honestly free from it here by our care-
ful and expensive work — we would become in-
vaded again by that pest from Santa Barbara.
Going right to my own home, I might say al-
most the same thing with regard to our Super-
visors in Santa Clara county. They have not
been willing to do their duty in this matter of
the insect pests, and there has not been a single
Board of Supervisors since I have lived in that
county that has been willing to undertake the
work of providing any adequate compensation
to the officers carrying out this work and which
power rests with the Supervisors. I would be
heartily in favor of a law in connection
with this matter which should place the au-
thority of directing the work in one body
as the law now does in the State Board
of Agriculture, but yet the Boards of
Supervisors in the different counties seem to
think that they have power granted them to
provide ordinances under which they may ap-
point officers to carry on this work, and that
their authority is only by the Board of Super-
visors; that they do not recognize in any way
the authority of the State law. There is one

point of the clash and inharmonious action in
the matter; I would favor law which should
compel the Board of Supervisors of the diS'erent
counties, where it is necessary to do so, to pro-
vide sufficient money by their votes to clear
them from these insect pests, and giving the au-
thority for doing all this work or rather letting
it remain just where it does in the hands of one
secondary organization that is legally consti-
tuted in the State Board of Horticulture. If
that is done and the Supervisors recognize that
authority, and being compelled to furnish the
money necessary to do this work we could very
soon arrive at a solution of this problem of the
insect pests.

Mr. Aiken: I want to say in reply to Dr.
Chapin that where the law authorizes or directs,
say, a Board of Supervisors, to do a certain
thing, where there is no discretion, that they
are to do a certain thing, the law points out
a remedy for that — a writ of mandate would
lie against the Board. It is a very simple pro-
ceeding; it could be done by a Superior Court,
and it would be a question of whether a Board
of Supervisors is above the law, or whether a
Board of Supervisors will obey the law. They
are not above the law of this State, they are
not above the writ of mandamus, and it would
be a very nice little case, and I would almost
give $100 for a chance of trying it in the Su-
preme Court, and establishing the right of the
fruit-growers to command the obedience of the
Board of Supervisors to the plain letter and
spirit of the law.

Mr. Bettner: Can you compel the Board of
Supervisors to make any appropriation?

Mr. Aiken: Where the law allows a discre-
tion, the Board of Supervisors to a certain ex-
tent is a legislative body, but when they be-
come executive officers the law points out that
that Board shall do a certain thing and they
have no discretion, and I think a writ would
lie. I have not examined the matter of late,
but I think it is a clear principle of law; but
anyway, try it, demand the writ, and I think
the courts would issue the writ, and then it
would come up on its merits of whether the
Board of Supervisors can oppose the proper ex-
ecution of the law passed by the Legislature of
this State, or whether they can decline to make
the appropriation that the law points out that
they shall make.

Dr. Chubb : It is not only what can be done,
but what will be done. A man that will go
and attack the Board of Supervisors in the man-
ner described is a difficult man to find. It is
sometimes just as easy to coax as to force. Our
own Board of Supervisors, as has been explained
by Mr. Rice, when we approached them and
asked certain things done to carry out the law,
said : "We will do whatever the public senti-
ment requires or asks. " We met in the south-
ern part of the county, the Santa Ana valley,
andjcirculated a petition and got over 300
names asking the Board of Supervisors to enact
the regulations or ordnance under which we are
acting in this county, and they at once acceded
to that request, and I believe we have got as
eff"ective a Board of Supervisors in that direc-
tion as will be found in any other county in the
State. Now, if the Board of Supervisors have
any power, they get it from the Legislature.
Granting that the law is all right, if the Board
of Supervisors feel that the enforcement of the
law is to the interest of that county, and that

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

the fruit interest is the interest that they are
bound to respect and support, they will then at
once make it their work. Why not ? They
are the servants of the people, and the moat
prominent interests of their county are the ones
that will enlist their* hearts and hands,
and are the ones they are the most ready to
support.] All they want is the expression
of public sentiment, and that is the reason
I offered the resolution, and I believe it is the
duty of this convention to make this expression,
and to show that we want the backing of the
law and of the money influence to protect the
fruit interests of this State which we believe to
be the coming interest.

Col. Webb: I had not intended saying any-
thing on this subject because it is really one
that I have given, perhaps, less attention to
than almost any other, for the reason that it has
not been my duty to consider it as much as
other questions, but I have considered it enough
to see the many difficulties in the way of en-
forcing the law, I am compelled to differ from
Dr. Chapin and my friend Mr. Aiken. They
seem to think, one that the law is proper and
all that is necessary, and the other that there is
no difficulty whatever in enforcing the law.
Now, the law says that the Board of Super-
visors maij appoint quarantine guardians who
shall receive so much per day for their services
to be derived from the damages assessed upon
the party whose property is condemned. Now,
a man, to obtain money in that way, must be a
more abandoned creature than I believe is in this
hall this evening. I doubt very much whether my
friend Mr. Aiken would willingly take the posi-
tion of quarantine guardian in that beautiful
locality of Wright's station, and there enforce
the law and condemn a man's orchard and say:
"Mr. Jones, your trees are infected and I require
of you to cleanse them immediately, and if you
don't do it I will cut them down and I will
compel you to pay the charges and costs of this
atction, and then when the man refused to doit,"
aa he probably would, because they are stub-
born people some of those fruit-growers, then
enforce the law and have the property attached
and sold and the money realized from it. Now,
Mr. Aiken, if you would do that you would
never want to run for county judge in that
county. Then there is another thing: it has
been said that the law provides that the Board
of Supervisors should do a certain thing; that
it is obligatory and mandatory, and they are
bound to do it; that they must not suppose that
they are above the law, etc. Oh, no; nobody
supposes that they are above the law, but the
question is, as in the other case, whether Mr.
Aiken or anybody else that desires to live a
quiet and peaceable life and meet his fellowmen
on good and social terms every day; whether he
wants to go to work and be the instrument of
enforcing that; I doubt it very much.

A Delegate: The new constitution has given
ample power to the Board of Supervisors in any
matter that interests the county, to make the
allowance and levy taxes on the citizens where
it may be necessary; they have a right to pass
a no fence law, they have a right to regulate
the school taxes and anything of that sort that
concerns the people they can do, and in the
new constitutional convention that thing was
discussed thoroughly, and if we have a nuisance
here of any kind the Board of Supervisors have
power to levy a tax on the people to eradicate

that, but then you have got to leave that to a
vote of the people to see whether they ratify it
or not. But the Board of Supervisors have
got the power in each and every county to levy
a tax on its citizens, is the way I understand
it.

Dr. Kimball: With all due deference for the
enthusiastic member who comes from the Santa
Cruz mountains, where they raise sucli tre-
mendous apples, and where they insisted for a
long time that the codlin moth could not
live,I can say there is an unlimited field for his
work at home. The question, after all this
discussion, resolves itself down to the simple
proposition whether the people themselves in
every locality are so intensely interested in the
work of getting rid of these insects, that they
will carry it into politics, that they will carry
it into the election of the Board of Supervisors,
that they will carry it into the election of
judges, and so interest the body politic that
they will be willing to act in response to their
request. That is all there is for the suppression
of insects: for the people to act unitedly and
sincerely and as if they meant business. That
is the only solution I can see. The resolution
as amended is adopted.

A letter is here read from the Los Angeles
Produce Exchange, extending the privileges of
the room of exchange to the members of the
society, also a letter tendering a similar cour-
tesy from the Los Angeles Board of Trade ,

On motion of Dr. Chapin a vote of thanks
was tendered to the Produce Exchange and to
the Board of Trade for the courtesies thus ex-
tended.

Here the convention adjourned until Tues-
day morning at 10 o'clock.

The convention, on the morning of the second
day, was called to order by President Cooper,
Committees Appointed.

The Chair appoints committees to judge of
the fruits on exhibition in the hall as follows :

On Citrus Fruits — Thomas A. Garey, of Los
Angeles; .James Bettner, of Riverside; J. W.
Gray, of Chico.

Deciduous Fruits— Sol. Runyon, of Sacra-
mento; Col. E. E. Edwards, of Santa Clara;
S. McKinley, Los Angeles,

Miscellaneous Fruits — A, T, Hatch, of Sui-
sun; I. A. Wilcox, of Santa Clara; George Rice,
of Highland,

Fruit Marketing.

The Chairman announces the topic of discus-
sion for the morning hour: "The Care in Se-
lection, the Kind and Size of Packages, the
Marketing and Shipping."

Mr. Webb : I have a box here from Mr.
Coronel, which was sent to him at my sugges-
tion from the East, which is recommended by
Parker Earl as the best box which has ever
been used in shipping fruit; it is here where all
persons interested can have an opportunity to
examine it. I should never have thought of
sendixig for anything that was advertised had
it not been for the recommendation of Mr,
Earl, knowing his reputation as one of the
leading fruit packers of the United States, and
as a gentleman of the highest integrity. It is,
here for you who desire to do so to investigate
it. [The box was made of slats. Inside there
was an arrangement of pasteboard, very much
like the patent egg carriers, each fruit being
given an apartment by itself, with holes for
ventilation.]

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

Mr. AVilcox : I have been shipping small
fruits for the last twenty or twenty-five years —
blackberries, strawberries and the like — and I
would like to look at that box very much. In
importing plants or anything of that kind,
where they go a great distance, they build
openings at the top. I have had plants shipped
to me, forty varieties of strawberries; every
one of them came dead, because there was no
current of air inside. I had them duplicated
afterwards and all came through in a healthy
condition where there was an opening at the
top. The box shown by Mr. Webb seems to
have the principle of ventilation about it-
(explains the construction by illustration with
the box itself)

Mr. Webb : It obviates the necessity of
wrapping; you get fruit of the right size, and
select them with reference to the cells, and it
obviates wrapping.

Mr. Garey: Is this a new packas;e, or one
that has been used and tried and proven by per-
sons that have tried it heretofore?

Mr. Webb: I think that the letter Mr.
Coronel has from the manufacturer is accom-
panied with the statement that Parker wrote to
that effect, and that is the best answer to the
question.

Mr. Hussman: While I do not know any-
thing about this package, and seen it for the
first time now, I know a good deal of Parker
Earl, and say this— that anything he recom-
mends he has tried, and wouldn't recommend
it otherwise.

Mr. Williams, of Fresno: This matter of the
package is a prominent one in reference to ship-
ping fruit; if we get a package for the proper
carrying and the proper handling of our fruit,
•we have overcome a great obstacle in trans-
porting of the fruit of the Pacific Coast to the
great centers in the East, which is really our
market. One of the great points of the ship-
ping is in the exorbitant cost of the package.
For instance, in packing a carload of grapes for
Chicago or Kansas City, or anywhere else
East, the mere cost of the package is more than
the original cost of the fruit. If you put your
grapes at $20 a ton, which is very low, the
packages and the loading in the car will cost
you 240 odd dollars. The great point in
shipping is to lower the expenses. Our
grapes are cheap enough; we have the con-
sumers on the other side, the transportation
and the package figures very largely in the
general result. I have tried grapes in 4-pound
baskets, and it works pretty well if you do not
have any delay on the road. For the carrying
of pears, we have used 40 pound boxes. They
are not a success; you have to spring the tops
on too tight and too hard to get them there in
proper shape. Mr. Porter told me that he can
spring them on so that they don't shrink a
great deal; but novices in the business get
them about half full. Now, we want a pack-
age in which we can get them there in present-
able shape. Another thing, the package, as it
stands to-day, creates too much pressure on the
center layers. We must have a taller pack-
age, and one that will not, cost us too much.
For other fruits, the smaller you have the pack-
age the better, to obviate the pressure on the
fruit.

Mr. Garey : In Southern California perhaps
the most important question in the matter of
shipping fruit is the shipment of the fruits of

the citrus family. We are looking for a super-
ior package to the one we now use, and we will
hail it with delight. The main point in ship-
ping oranges is to prevent them from rubbing
or chafing one another, as Mr, Williams said as
to other fruits, getting loose in the box and in
picking up the fruit shaking it about and bruis-
ing and damaging it. The boxes shown appear
in the first place to be cheap; that is an impor-
tant point. We want a cheap box to ship our
fruit in, as well as a cheap remedy to kill the
scale bug, and these boxes, as they are made
there, it strikes me that unless the oranges are
selected and sorted especially to fit those spaces
closely and snugly they will necessarily shake
about, and that will bruise the oranges and de-
stroy them. All the spaces that do not fit
would have to be filled up with paper or some-
thing that would make them fit snug and
close.

Dr. Chapin: After closer examination of this
package as it appears here, it seems to me it
would be rather a slimsy affair, the very slight-
est touch will rack it in various directions with
a single nail in the laths which are on the side.
I should think the package would be very
likely to fall to pieces, handled in the way in
which fruit is in this country, or on any long
journey, I should rather be afraid of the
package myself, from the appearance of it.

Mr. Garey: I suppose those compartments
are not arbitrary, they can be changed to suit
the size of the fruit.

Mr. Webb: That is what I tried to state,
that they have boxes of difi'erent sizes and
cells, to accommodate the different sized fruits.
Mr. Milco: My opinion is, that if that can
be made strong enough, it would be one of the
best things we have, for the simple reason that
in order to bring our fruit before the public we
must have it of different sizes; this idea of put-
ting a layer of good fruit on top and small on
the bottom ought to be done away with for the
sake of our future prosperity, and that little
box strikes me as one of the best things to ac-
complish that purpose. You can't put a big
orange in a small spaca; you have got to have it of
the size to fit it, and then those packages ought
to be marked numbers 1, 2, 3 or 4, or whatever
the size is, and the fruit will sell accordingly.
The main point is as Chapin says as to the sta-
bility of the box. I know that when you put
40 or 50 pounds of fruit in a box it has got to
be pretty strong, the way freight and express-
men handle boxes. They don't care how they
handle them because they have no interest in
it, and unless a man watches them or ships him-
self and places it on the cars himself, the
chances are that the fruit, when it gets on the
other side, is not fit to do anything with.

Mr. Wilcox: I think that the objection to
the box that is here referred to can be very
easily remedied. I have shipped fruit myself
in a box similar to that, merely with a flat
thin piece of board between the layers. The
way we did, we braced the box by nailing a
cleat along the outside at each corner. We
took common laths and nailed it right over those
places, and one at each corner and one at the
end, and I never had any complaint, so far, as
to fruit moving around in those compartments.
The difficulty can be remedied easily, too, by
taking a piece of paper; of course, the fruit
ought to correspond in size, nearly, to the cell.
One thing I want to say in regard to the ship-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

ping of fruit here: It must be handled care-
fully, and the railroad hands do not do so.
They throw our chests ofif twenty rods from
where we want them. I paid the railroad com-
pany, fifteen years ago, $1000 freight on straw-
berries at 80 cents a chest, and sometimes I
would have to go ten rods away from the depot
to get the chests. When I passed through
Plorida last winter, I saw a circular of the
railroad company as to shipping, and especially
requesting that any carelessness be reported to
headquarters. And yet, on this coast they are
proverbially rough in handling the fruit. I
would never ship fruit anywhere without put-
ting it on the car myself, or some party who is
interested in it themselves. That is the only
safety you have. Mr. Block, who ships the
most pears in Santa Clara county, don't trust
anybody to attend to it for him; he has his own
packer and his train shipper.

Mr. Chapin: I am very glad the point was
brought by Mr. Milco, regarding the size of the
fruit throughout the entire package, and not a
fine layer at the top, and then the balance of
the box made up of inferior fruit of all sizes
and descriptions. A little personal experience
in that matter may not be uninteresting to the
members of this convention. Owing to the ne-
cessity of my being absent from home almost
all my time, it is an absolute necessity that the
details of my orchard work be left to hired help
entirely, and my experience has been this, that
however honest and faithful men may intend
to be, and frequently are, yet they are often-
times careless in their work. It is not as though
the eye of the manager or the owner was upon
them. Only the other day some packages of
fruit sent to the San Francisco market were
called to my attention when in the city and I was
told that they came from my orchard. The
box was opened on the side and shown to me.
I said that never came from my orchard; my
fruit is never packed in that manner. They
assured me that it was so, and I became con-
vinced that that was the fact. When I went
home I opened some boxes that had been packed
by my foreman in that same manner, and found
precisely that description of things existing,
notwithstanding I had repeatedly told him that
it would cost him his position if he practiced
any deception in the packing of fruit. I had
positively forbidden him, giving the most arbi-
tary instructions against anything of that kind,
and yet, in the face of all that, the work was
done in that way to a certain extent. Fortu-
nately, it was but a few packages that were
done in that way, but the man's excuse was
that the fruit was there and he thought that he
might as well make use of it a^nd get what he
could for it. It is needless to say that that was
not repeated, but this very method of packing
in certain sized partitions with one class of
fruit through the entire box is a most excellent
one, and that part of it is to be commended
most heartily, and if the cheapness of the box
and the strength and the stability of the pack-
age can be secured at the same time, so as to
be profitable for the fruit-growei-s to use, there
is no doubt but what it would be a most valu-
able article.

Dr. Frey: It would be a very easy matter
to have it made so. If the boxes were going a
short distance, it would do very well, but if
they were going further you might have to put
in a few nails, and they would go along very

well; or, as the gentleman remarked, you could
put slats in on top of it. You can put a slat
on each end, so that the pressure in the box
would come on the slats instead of coming on
the top of the box, and that strengthens the
box very much. In regard to grading fruit in
the box, I think it is a matter of great impor-
tance, that it should be insisted on by the so-
ciety that every man should have his name on
the box, and be personally responsible; and if a
man puts in poor fruit let him take the respon-
sibility, a d let everybody know who it is.
The difference will soon be apparent.

Mr. J. M. Gray: I would like to hear from
somebody who ships fruit to Chicago if they
think peaches could be shipped in that box,
without rubbing. If so, it would save a great
deal of trouble to the shipper. We know it is
no small task to get a carload of fruit, and wrap
each piece in paper, and I fear that the paper
that we have now in this State is not the right
thing to wrap peaches in, especially if they be-
come the least bit moist. There seems to be a
taste of the paper in the fruit. If we could ar-
range some way of shipping without going to
that expense and trouble it would be a good
thing.

J, M. Hixson: I have a great many letters
from parties whom I have been doing business
with this year, which I expect to lay before the
fruit shippers and give them my advice in re-
gard to a great many matters pertaining to ship-
ping. In regard to Mr. Grey's remarks as to
shipping peaches, I think is would be good if
they would contract those spaces considerably
to have the fruit fit. It may not be generally
known that the fig, in the green shape, can be
shipped through in good order. We had them
from several different parts, and only, I be-
lieve, in one instance did they come through in
good order, and that was when there was but
one layer in the box. They sold at extrava-
gantly high prices, and demonstrated to my
mind, that whatever package was successful,
the cost of it would form but a small item if we
could get the fig there in perfect order. The
peach, too, at times, of course, will sell at a
price in which the package would hardly cut
any figure. In regard to the strengt\v of the
package, that is one thing that I want particu-
larly to call your attention to. I have a num-
ber of letters, and I will read an extract from
one to show the sentiment on the other side in
regard to the package. In case of getting a
light package, a pound or two or three or four
pounds to get that package strong enough, so
that it does not fall to pieces, is no consideration.
We have one car of plums in which the stan-
chions parted. They were put into an old-
fashioned car and arranged to give ventilation,
and v/hen they gave way the bottom of the
fruit slipped forward and that threw it on an
angle, and the package was so light that a good
many of them burst, and the plums ran out.
In such a case the cost of the packages was a
very little consideration. I will read this from
Boston: "I hope your friends in California will
see the necessity of stronger packages. We
consider this fault one of a very serious nature,
and the sooner it is remedied the better it will
be. For short distances, no doubt, they are
'0. K., " You see, he says it is a very serious
matter in regard to the packages, for he finds
the fruit comes out of order in conseqnence of
the package being so light that it springs. Now

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

I have one from Hamilton, Canada, in which
the gentleman speaks on the same matter of the
package. In regard to putting the small fruit
on the bottom, anything of that kind is not
going to take in the East, because every pack-
age there is opened. They open the package,
or they put their hand on it, and they have be-
come such experts that they are satisfied if it
doesn't give, and if it does they then sort it out
and find where the defective ones are and then
take and supply them with fresh fruit, or if it
is not packed tight enough they draw them to-
gether and put in fruit enough to fill up the
package, so that a man who is shipping with a
view of success is not going to put in poor fruit
or inferior fruit more than once or twice until
he will see that it don't pay. There is no
place I have ever done business where a man's
name is worth so much to him as it is in the
Eastern marie';, because they go right after
ham. As soon as they find an article is well
phcked, they seek for that brand, and when
they say I will give you so much for that mark
teey don't mean I will take all of it; they
m an I will give you so much for the privilege
of going through it, and if it is not all right
they are going to reject it. It is no use^to put
up|inferior fruit, or over ripe fruit, or anything
of that kind with a view to success. There is
another important thing, and that is uni-
formity of package. If you are going to have
twenty pounds in a package, have twenty
pounds; if you are going to have forty pounds,
have forty pounds of fruit. This is for two or
three reasons. One is, that a man makes a cal-
culation when he sends it out for retail how
many pounds he is going to sell. Another is,
that the express companies take their fruit at a
certain rate per box. They cannot take any
five, or eight, or ten thousand boxes and dis-
tribute them to the different places and weigh
the different lots; they mark them if it is
peaches or plums; they take them as twenty-
two pounds; if they are pears and apples and
things of that kind, they take them at forty-
six; so that if man has got eighteen pounds of
plums, you see he is paying the extra express-
age on it, and all those things are taken into
consideration,

Mr. Aiken: I will say as to the redwood box
in the county of Santa Cruz, we buy them at
two cents, peach and grape boxes, and we can
manufacture enough to supply the State of
California, at that price. As to that box, it
may be of great value to us in the State enter-
prise whicli you hear about; we propose to do
one thing if nothing else; we propose to manu-
facture the best boxes that can be obtained for
the actual cost, and sell to fruit-growers at the
actual cost; and what can be manufactured for
20 cents, you will get for a little more than 10
cents.

Dr. Chubb: As to orange boxes, when talk-
ing about it in the East this summer with a
commission man, and when I told the cost of
the box, they said you can do better than
that by shipping your boxes from Maine by
sailing vessels during the seasons when you
don't want them, and get your supply during
the fruit season. He spoke very confidently
about it. He said he was confident we could
get our supply of boxes much cheaper than 16J
cents, which we were paying for orange boxes.

Mr. Milco: I will give you my opinion. I
know that one firm in this State is shipping a

great many carloads of lumber around the
Horn to all the Eastern ports, and it has been
done for the last two or three years, and I have
been told by Mr. Smith, of Stockton, that the
lumber is so cheap in California that they can't
make a cent out of it, and the only money they
are making is by shipping East. You can
imagine as to that, if they ship around the
Horn from Oregon and Washington and make
a profit.

Mr. Chubb: Then they ought not to charge
20 cents for orange boxes.

Mr. Conger: I think the boxes made in
Maine are made of birch, and not of pine. I
was told once that they could be bought in
Maine for seven cents. Mr. Wood can inform
us on that point. Did you not write to Maine?

Mr. Wood: Yes, sir, we have received
prices from so many different places, but I can
say this as to that box, when we were in busi-
ness here, shipping a good many, we could buy
our cases in the East and pay our freight on
them, and lay them down here for less money
than we could get them from San Francisco.
In my experience those boxes can be bought in
the East and brought out here by freight as
cheap as they can be manufactured at home
by our present manufacturers, unless they have
improved during the last two years.

Mr. James Bettner: I was in New Orleans
last year, and inquired as to the cost of the
Florida orange boxes. They get the most of
them from Maine, and I found that the Maine
boxes, coming by water transportation, cost
about what it costs to deliver Truckee boxes at
Riverside (about 14^ cents); and the Maine
orange box is to me a very unsightly box. It is
made of basswood, is very thin, and has to be
bound with hoops, and it warps all up and out
of shape if exposed to the sun or air at all.
They have found so much fault in Florida,
even, that they use a local box in some places
there, and are turning out a pine box that is a
good deal similar to our Truckee boxes.

A Delegate: I think if you can ascertain the
lowest price you can secure these boxes in the
East, and then will examine the boxes made in,
San Francisco and on this coast, and the prices,
you will find that we can procure boxes, or any
thing else in the wood line, a great deal cheaper
here than you can procure it anywhere on the
Eastern coast. Only a few weeks ago I was up
on the Canadian Pacific railroad at Victoria,
and they were very much agitated there on ac-
count of the Dominion Governmeni assessing the
lumber there, 8% advalorem, and 25 cents a
tree for their lumber, and they sent a remon-
strance back to the general government, trying
to overcome that, saying it would ruin their
market in the lumber line, and prevent them
from competing with the California and the
Puget Sound lumber country. Now, we have
box manufacturers and everything in this
country, and we have the wood; there is wood
enough in Eureka, Humboldt county, to make
boxes and box up all the fruit, and the trees,
and everything else there is in this country,
and we can furnish them just as cheap as we
can get them from Maine or anywhere
else in the world, and just as
good, and I will tell you that I think it will be
to our best interests to keep this money at
home. We have bright prospects in this coun-
try, and I think anyone can see that it is going
to be the distributing point for all the southern

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

country. It is so recognized by all the railroads
in the country. If we look a little to our own
interests, without sending any money abroad, I
think we will all fare a great deal better. I do
not disapprove of ascertaining what you can
procure these things for. While I was in Brit-
ish Columbia a man started some soap works.
He sent to his neighbor a block or two away
for boxes. He said: "I will charge you 15
cents a piece." He says: "Send me 1000
boxes." It so happened that there was one of
Hobb's men there. The soap-maker told him
his trouble, and he says, "I will send you up
some boxes," and he did send them from San
Francisco, going the trip by sea to Victoria.
Just one week before he could get them from a
block away. That would show you if it need
that the work can be done just as well here as
anywhere else, and as good as any you can get
abroad.

Mr. Wilcox : I live where we make boxes,
in San Jose. One thing should be borne in
mind. In the first place, all the best timber
that is used for boxes, from cheats down, was
held by a combination. When I bought my
first blackberry chests, twenty-five years ago, I
paid $9 for 100 chests. I can now buy those
chests, of a better quality, for $3. We had no
machinery to make a good chest; now we have
machinery in San Francisco that will dove-tail
the corners in the best possible manner. We
have the same in San Jose. I have paid for
strawberry boxes, to hold 8 or 10 pounds, 11
cents; I get them now for 2^ cents. I can buy
the common strawberry box, holding a pound,
for S-10 of a cent apiece; that is all it costs for
little raspberry baskets. So far as that
is concerned we have been making them
there in San Jose as cheap as can be made any-
where — lumber is much cheaper than it is in
the East. We can make a box cheaper than
any part of the world. Our redwood lumber is
even being sent East to be manufactured, lu
New Orleans they all wanted to know what it
could be got for. They use it to make cof-
fins. They are making coffins at Santa
Clara by the quantity. We are supplying
all this coast, the Sandwich Islands and Mex-
ico and all this country with them. We
don't want Eastern lumber. When we have
machinery in competition that is all we want.
I wouldn't look to the East for a box hereafter,
and I don't think we will need to. It may be
that we will want to combine with this organi-
zation on shipping and that we will want to
make our own boxes, and I believe they can be
made here cheaper than anywhere in the world,
for there is no part of the world where we can
find lumber so accessible.

Dr. Congar: I don't think there is a ques-
tion but what boxes can be made here as cheap
as in any part of the world. That is dodging
the point. We want to know whether they
will so make them, that is what we are after.

Mr. Milco: I think that the fruit interests
of Southern California are so extensive that the
fruit-growers of this State are strong enough to
go to work and make their own boxes. If they
cannot get them cheap enough they should put
their shoulders to the wheel, and go to work
and put up their own factory and see what they
can do, and I think they will find they can get
their boxes very cheap.

Mr. Hixon: I think we are losing sight of
the main point of this matter, which is ventil-

ation of the fruit more than cheapness of the
boxes; and while we discuss the latter part of
it we ought not to pass over this very impor-
tant matter. You see the box, which is shown
here, is ventilated from below, and the vapor
or moist atmosphere rises upwards through the
fruit. I want to call your attention to one
fact demonstrated in the receipt of some cher-
ries we had this year in Chicago. We had one
carload, in which there were about 700 cases,
shipped in the ordinary crate — such as are used
in the shipping of grapes — and bye the
bye, I would not by any means recom-
mend that as the proper package for
cherries. I do not suppose there is any man
who would have paid $100 for the carload of
cherries at the depot when they arrived. We,
of course, have to pay freight anyway, even if
the fruit is all ruined. We have given bonds
for that beforehand. There were 15 crates in
that lot that the man had stretched brown
paper over the top of the crate so that the
paper was about half an inch above the top of
the cherries. On top of that paper was laid the
slats, so as to prevent pressure coming down to
mash it. It was arranged so that there was a
space between the cherries and the paper,
and a space between the paper and the top of
the crate. In one of those crates the paper had
got torn and fell down upon the cherries; that
was like the balance, covered with fine mould,
of a thin cobweb appearance; the other 14
crates were in good order. There was no
other crate in that lot that we could ship out-
side the city of Chicago. By taking the tops
off the boxes and exposing them to the air this
cobweb, like mildew, passed off of a great many,
and the local buyers bought them, and we got
about |800 out of that whole carload. That
paper absorbed the moisture that arose
from the bottom or from the cherries,
and the cherries were in good condition. A
good many of the cherries and other fruit that
were not wrapped had so much moisture on the
top of the boxes, that it was absorbed by the
wood, until the top was discolored. Now, if a
fruit box is ventilated so that this moisture can
pass off, it seems to me it is of vital importance.
So far as the box business is concerned, none of
us doubt but what we can make them as cheap
here as anywhere else. The only question is,
do we do it? I had some occasion to get some
boxes in Chicago, and paid for the first lot of
white wood, 25-lb, boxes, eight cents, and then
got a bid from three different parties for 25-lb.
boxes clear pine, at seven cents, and then made
for six cents. I had occasion to have some figs
packed the other day in San Francisco, and the
man who packed them assured me he had to
charge so much, because he had to pay nine
cents a piece for the same size box, and I
remonstrated with him and he tried to get them
reduced. He said he could not get them less
than nine cents. I have no doubt but what
they can make them here just as cheaply as
anywhere else; but the question is, do they do
it? But the main question, as I have already
said in this matter, is ventilation.

Gathering and Curing Fruit.

The chair announces the second topic of the
day: "The proper time to gather the different
kinds of fruits, the curing, etc."

Dr. Congar: I rise to make a few remarks
upon that subject, in reference to the oranget

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

and lemon. I know very little about the de-
ciduous fruits that are growing in Southern
California at this time. When I came here 10
years ago, I paid 10 cents apiece for apples
raised in Oregon, a dollar a pound for butter
made in Sacramento valley, and everything in
proportion. Now the local production of such
articles is abundant. I have had some experi
ence in regard to handling the oranges and
lemons, as to their condition of ripeness, and
their eflfect when picked under certain con-
ditions. I will speak of the lemon first. I paid
more attention to that than the orange. It is
a well known fact that the lemon in this lo-
cality requires certain treatment in
order to produce a fruit of first quality. I
may say first and foremost, soil has something
to do with it, and something in the matter of
treating the trees as to the amount of water the
tree is to get, etc. I would speak of the lemon
as it is taken from the tree, and as far as I go, I
I speak of the Eureka and Lisbon lemon.
They have in the San Francisco market a
lemon called by the commission men there the
"California Sicily Seedling." I rebel against
that name. We have no such lemon in this
country. We have a Sicily from the bud, and
it is as difi'erent from the seedling as can be.
The lemon I wish to speak of is the Sicily bud,
the Eureka, the Lisbon and the Genoa. Those
lemons, under the treatment I have pursued,
will produce a lemon that we challenge the
world to surpass. I am willing to put up 100
boxes against 100 boxes imported lemons.
The lemon wants to be slightly colored
on the tree before it is picked ; it
wants to receive from the soil all the proper-
ties that will make it perfect. It must be
picked at that stage with the best of care,
without much handling. I mulch my trees
with straw and lay the lemons immediately
under the tree. It matters not whether it is
damp or dry. Of course, if it is a dry portion
of the year, I leave them there a less time than
though it were a damp season of the year.
They will remain under the tree for weeks if it
is a moist atmosphere. I don't place them
over two or three inches deep, and they will
cure down into a lemon which I will challenge
the world to surpass. By this process the skin
loses moisture, and becomes soft almost as a
glove, but it is hermetically sealed. There is
no chance for the oxygen of the air to
penetrate that rind, and it is the oxygen of the
air, as we all know, that causes the decay in all
fruits. If you keep out the oxygen from the
fruit it will never decay. Hence, the necessity
for picking your fruit with a great deal of care'.
If lemons are handled as I have described, you
need have no fear of foreign competition.
Now, as to the orange: I find it to an ad-
vantage to pick the orange with some care and
allow them four or five days to shrink; that is,
to lose a surplus of moisture in the rind. It is
when the riud is distended with this surplus of
moisture that scraping it with the finger in
picking will rupture the rind and the oxgen of
the air takes hold of that little spot. It com-
mences to decay. Hence, you want to pick
them with this care and put them in a box
and lay them away under the tree and let
them shrink for three or four days. It de-
pends somewhat upon the ripeness of the fruit.
They should be in such condition that when
they are put in boxes they will not shrink and

become loose so that every time the cars shake
they knock one against the other. There is a
secret of great loss in our fruit shipped to the
Eastern market. If they are shrunk before
they are packed, you can pack them just as
tight as you can pack an apple, and they can-
not give in your boxes. If you will go ahead
with the sorting practice you can pack them
so tight that they will scarcely move in transit
to Chicago.

I rose to give my experience in picking oflp the
tree. Those who buy the fruit oflF the tree, and
pick and pack them under the tree, huddle
them off to the railroad the next day; they
throw them just as you throw sacks of potatoes.
They take them up in boxes and throw them on
the wagons, and I have seen the juice run out
of those oranges as they packed them. That is
the way some of the commission men handle
our fruit, and we suS'er in consequence. That
is the reason why I am in favor of some kind of
an organization, either Southern California or
Northern California, so that we may stop this
terrible work. If, when we pick the fruit when
it is ripe, let it lose the surface moisture, and
pack it closer, we will get along without much
loss. We can raise as good fruit as any in the
world.

Mr. Hixson: I would like to say one word
in reference to Dr. Congar's remarks in regard
to picking the orange and letting them lie
awhile. I think there is so much point in that,
that everyone ought to pay some attention to it.
It is very well known that there is no man in
California who is as successful in shipping ap-
ples as Mr. Da Long, of Marin county. At his
place they pick their apples in a box, one-third
larger than the box they pack in, and they put
it in an apple-house and let it stand there for a
given length of time that may suit them, but
not less than a week or 10 days, and pack it
from that into the boxes that they ship in.
They ship to Australia and New Zealand, and
other distant markets with perfect success, and
I think that it is because they let the extra
juice pass off in evaporation. I think the Doc-
tor's remarks on that point are worthy of a great
deal of consideration.

Dr. Chubb: My experience does not agree
with the Doctor's theory completely. This last
summer, in the month of June, I had sent to
me in a western city, two, or three carloads of or-
anges that were sent on rather as an experiment.
They could be bought very cheaply in our sec-
tion of the valley, because they were the I'em-
nanta of the orange crop, had ripened up later
and had to be picked up later, and a great many
of them were very ripe, and wouldn't be con-
sidered fit for shipment on that account. They
were picked indiscriminately, believing that
they would at least, pay the expenses, and were
packed rapidly without due care. I saw them
as they were opened in the commission houses,
and from the very fact that the skin had dried,
they came through in better order than oranges
that I shipped in March. That experience con-
vinced me that we must cure our oranges be-
fore shipping; they were dried on the tree.

Mr. Rose: I have had various experiences
with shipping oranges and in picking lemons.
I have spoilt more lemons I guess than any man
in the State of California in experimenting,
and I feel very sure that Dr. Congar is very
correct in all that he has said of his own
knowledge as to the lemon bnsiness. I have no

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

doubt, it is true, not only to me but to every-
body who has lemons. As to the orange, I
have had a different experience from Dr. Con-
gar. Last year I went upon the theory of
picking and keeping my oranges two or three
days under cover in a large buiiding that had
the ventilation of open doors and open win-
dows, but oranges which had been in there
would not keep as long as those packed out in
the field and shipped at once. I have found
that oranges that are kept out of doors will
keep better than those which are kept in any
kind of a house, no matter what kind or what
ventilation. So far as the orange is concerned,
there is a necessity for the people of this
county, especially, to find some way of clean-
ing them, and washing oranges has had the ef-
fect of making them decay very easily, al-
though there are modifications I think in the
practice which did not result that way. We
have tried to rub them off with a brush, and if
immediately shipped they will decay very
quickly — much more quickly than if they had
not been rubbed. It is the same way
with the washing. We have in our neigh-
borhood a very painstaking gentleman,
Mr. Dobbins, who washed his oranges last win-
ter and kept them out-doors, with some pro-
tection of shade, perhaps, and they went as well
as if they had not been washed. It is my belief
we ought to have a drying-house, and I believe
we will come to it yet. You can take an
orange and put it on the mantel piece. You
can keep it there and it will never decay — it
will dry up. You can keep it there until it
gets as hard as grain. Again, you can put it
in a trunk and have it among your clothing,
where the moisture is taken up by the sur-
roundings, and it will never decay, and will
finally dry up. Now, the reasonable suppo-
sition is, that if you had a dry house with trays,
with the fruit only one deep on a tray, and
some heat passing over them, taking off the
surplus moisture, the orange would keep to
ship to any part of the world. I believe it will
pay to do it. I will take an instance where I
ship a carload a day. Last season be-
ing a dry season, I had no trouble,
but you take another season with wet
winter rains almost every day, and the orange
will take up a great excess of moisture by the
rain. You can take any orange, pick it im-
mediately after a rain, pack it immediately
after,and it will decay before it gets to San Fran-
cisco. You must wait till sunshine comes and
dries it out to a certain extent. For that reason I
think it will be necessary for the men who ship
largely to have a dry-house and take off the
surplus moisture, and then we can hope and ex-
pect that we may ship oranges to any part of
the United States without any decay, but I
must say that Dr. Cougar's theory about keep-
ing them for a while in a house I have not found
correct.

Dr. Cougar: I did not say in the house. I
keep tfiem on the ground under the tree. I had
Mr. Rose's experience in keeping them in the
house.

Mr, Cooper: Referring to the remarks of
Dr. Cougar, I find it is very dangerous to give
theories. In Southern Europe, and with the
Spanish and French, they are about equally
divided on the subject of seedlings. There are
seedling lemons up in the Exhibition hall,
raised at my home from the seed of a Sicily

lemon, and I have sold them in San Francisco
side by side, at precisely the same price
with the imported Sicily lemon. They
are up there now and I wish you
would all help yourselves and see what they
are like. I have the budded Eureka lemon, and
I have tried to test both of them, and I have de-
cided that my seedling Sicily, as Dr. Congar
calls it, is the better of the two.

Dr. Congar: I refer to the seedling lemon
that I am acquainted with here. Now our
Eureka lemon is a seedling, and Mr. Wolfkill
has a seedling that is a superior lemon. I am
not speaking of that, I am speaking of the seed-
ling lemon — great big things with the rind as
thick as a citron.

Mr. Cooper: Mine I keep four months.
These up-stairs were picked about four months
ago; picked by a Chinaman, without any par-
ticular care. I have kept them six months.

At this point a recess was taken until after-
noon,

Afternoon Session.

The chairman announced the program of the
hour : "How the fruit-growers are to dispose
of their fruits without coming into competition
with each other as to prices for the same quality
and kinds of fruit."

Address of H. P. Livermore on Fruit
Shipping.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Fruit-
Growers of Southern California : — I esteem
myself fortunate in having the privilege of
speaking to you on a subject which I con-
ceive of such very great importance that it
needs a great deal of talking about, and I may
say that, in so speaking to you, I shall give
you [not an address, but a business talk. I
speak to you as a business man who, something
like ten years ago, became interested in the
fruit-growing proposition in vineyards and or-
chards situated in Sacramento county, where
for the last six years, until this present year, I
have had not only large proprietorship, but per-
sonal management. In those six years I have
had to ship to Eastern markets fruit and grapes
of various kinds to the different houses.
Now, in all that period of six years, I
have never been able, as a proprietor of
such interest and as a manager of such
business, to predicate one single element of
certainty, season by season, for that interest.
As a proprietor of such property, I have
always felt that I was in the dark, that
I was shooting at random, that I might
and my game, or that I might have to
respond to the drafts for deidcits. This
year particularly has such been the case; and
when the realizing sense came upon me that no
contract can be made for the placing of Cali-
fornia fruits in the Eastern markets, that we
had to gather them at random, that we had to
take our chances, that we had to run the gaunt-
let of competition with all California producers
who were similarily situated — I said to myself
this is a condition of things that can not but be
disastrous. It means nothing less than confis-
cation of this property interest if it continues.
Naturally, holding that view, and being, as I
say, a man of business experience, accustomed
to the solution of business problems, I turned
about to see what there was in the situation
that would afford any protection in the
future, or what there might be in the

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

situation that would threaten a permanent
continuation of such things, reaching, in ad-
vance, the concltision that if such was contin-
uously to be the condition of the fruit interest of
California I wanted to gracefully withdraw
from it and pocket my loss,

I have had extensive familiarity, for all these
years, with the Northern fruit interests, de-
rived from personal inspection of the produce
of that section. I then considered it was nec-
essary and proper for me to know something of
your Southern interests. I came South, and
passed nearly two months quietly going about
your various communities, feeling the pulse of
the situation; and it did not take me long to
find out that the condition of things which
was exercising us existed quite as seriously
here as there. It did not take me long
to find out that you had the same
problem to solve, that I, as an owner of
such property, had, namely: that the property
which I thought last year was worth one hun-
dred cents on a dollar, might be of doubtful
availability this year, and under the present
condition of things.

Let us not go into particulars; let us not pub-
lish unnecessarily this condition of things, but
let us take counsel together whether it must
not be admitted among ourselves that our prop-
erty interests, our values in such property, are
seriously threatened by the present condition
of the fruit trade, and would be, in a great
measure, overturned by the continuance thereof.
Such was my conviction. I returned to San
Francisco with my mind pretty thoroughly
made up that the situation was as bad as I had
anticipated, and probably was beyond present
remedy. I say present, for even then I could
not bring myself, as a business man, to think
that men of sagacity, of good judgment and of
experience, such as I thought the fruit-growers
of California were> would long tolerate such a
condition of things.

Shortly thereafter there came an announce-
ment of a convention of the "Fruit Growers of
California," and I naturally attended that con-
vention with no very definite idea of what
would come out of it, but with the conviction
that the thing to do was for the fruit-growers
to get together, and that the convention was a
means of so doing. Being there, I found vari-
ous suggestions, and, in connection with others,
who, like myself, were earnestly moving and
endeavoring to remedy existing evils, I was
placed upon a committee to take in hand this
proposition and suggest a remedy. That
committee was composed of gentlemen who are
doubtless familiar to you all, but I will, for the
purpose of a full understanding, give you their
names: William H. Aiken of Santa Cruz, R.
J. Trumbull of San Francisco, Abbott Kinney
of Los Angeles county, A. Bloch of Santa
Clara county, Horatio P. Livermore of San
Francisco, F. G. De Long of Marin county, M.
Estee of Napa county. That committee was in-
structed to inquire into the whole subject, and
to propose a method for redressing the evils
that oppress us. They held serious delibera-
tions; at first without being in'complete unison,
latterly reaching an understanding to justify a
report in the convention.

Resolved, That it is the opinion ot the majority of
your committee that the fruit-growers should organ-
ize a corporation confiding the management of their
fruit for Eastern shipment to a >duly qualified board

of directors of the said corporation for the protec-
tion of their mutual interest and the disposal of their
produce.

Resolved, That the capital stock of said corpora-
tion shall be $250,000, represented by 250,000 shares
of $1 each, and that the fruit-growers shall have the
privilege of subscriptions at the rate of one share of
stock for each acre of bearing orchard and vineyard
of shipping grapes, the same to be an operative cap-
ital fund for mutual protection purposes.

That report was taken in hand by the con-
vention; it was deliberated upon, discussed in
all aspects, through one entire day, and then,
after further discussion on the second day, was
finally unanimously adopted, and the same com-
mittee were directed to take charge of the busi-
ness of working up the details of co-operative
union or corporation, and generally putting it
into effective motion. I did not know at the
time when that committee was appointed, how
much was in store for the members of it in the
way of solid work, but in the six weeks that en-
sued from the date of the first convention to the
holding of the second, I had a realizing sense
of it. We, however, did what we could, in the
crude condition of things. I say crude, because
an interest so vast and widespread as the Cali-
fornia fruit growers' interest is necessarily
crude until it is organized. We did
what we could, however, and, returning
to the convention, we reported a plan ;
that plan was objectionable in many re-
spects to various of the localities of northern
California, because they had then conceived
local ideas from local preferences. Let us not
say prejudices, but preferences, and prefer-
ences, perhaps, well founded in many instances.
However, after long discussion and some modi-
fications, all the interests were harmonized,
and a general agreement was reached, and it
gave birth to the

California Fruit Union,
A corporation which I now represent, and to
which I now call your attention. I may say
before going further, that in the incorporation
of this Fruit Union, the capital was considered
by the committee as advisable to be restricted
to the acreage of orchard now existing in the
State — at first the bearing orchard; afterwards
they opened it to all orchards, without distinc-
tion. It was the opinion of the committee,
from the best information procurable, that 100,-
000 acres would cover the entire area, and it is
still their opinion. For that reason they rec-
ommend a capital of 100,000 shares, or $1C0,-
000. It was held by the committee that that
was sufficient. It was held by the committee
that in all probability not that entire amount
could or would be subscribed; but, that as a
maximum amount, it was sufficient to start
with, or rather to place as a maximum limit.
The convention thought otherwise, and in the
desire to give the complete latitude, and to
provide for the future increase of acreage, they,
by resolution, increased the capital stock to the
amount of .1i;250,000 or 250,000 shar^. Of
course, the committee were perfectly willing to
accept that amendment, inasmuch as it
involves nothing as to the amount of
stock that should be issued, that being
limited by the acreage, and it is still
the opinion of the committee that the capital,
which is now spoken of as $250,000, will practi-
cally, under the operation of this scheme, fall
considerably within $100,000. Now the whole

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

theory and motive power of this scheme has
always'^been, and is to-day, "co-operation;" we
make a corporation because the lawdehnes that
we must, but the idea is co-operation, a "co-
operative union" of the fruit-growers, which
they themselves shall officer and shall control,
and for their sole benefit and profit. Be there
little or much profit, it is for the fruitgrowers,
and in that sense we ffiel that we are justified
in laying a very considerable stress.

Perhaps, in order to give you a clear under-
standing, I had better read to you the articles
of incorporation and by-laws. [Mr. Livermore
read the articles of incorporation, also the by-
laws as adopted Wednesday, November 11th,
1885, and as published in the Rural Press in
the issue of November 14th.]

The by-laws provide for nine trustees, but it
is competent for the stockholders, when they
finally adopt by-laws, to increase the trustees
to 11, and it probably will be done to satisfy
any territory requiring additional representa-
tion, and to create a local Board wherever nec-
essary.

You will notice that the stockholder is in all
cases associated with, and identified with, pro-
ducing acres. Our original plan of estimating
acreage for representation was to restrict it to
orchard and to shipping grapes, but as we got
into the subject we found that small fruits were
very likely to call for a standing in connection
with our transportation, particularly if the now
probable feasibility of the cold storage car were
demonstrated, and the vegetable transportation
would enter very largely into the question, and
that the acreage that could, should and prob-
ably would, be devoted to vegetable culture for
Eastern shipment would be very large; and for
the additional reason that the vegetable ship-
ments are a matter of great help to us in early
shipments, it was included, so that, as the cor-
poration now stands, the privilege of being
stockholders was given to the cultivators of
small fruits and of vegetables for Eastern ship-
ment. I have thus read what constituted the
articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the
California Fruit Union, as considered in the
committee's report to that convention. There
were, however, two or three points, not placed
in the by-laws, which they gave to the conven-
tion in the form of recommendations, that have
not yet been incorporated into the by-laws,
and may or may not be, according to the ideas
of the majority of the stockholders. I will
read from the report those recommendations,
so that you may then have the whole thing as
it is likely to stand. [Reads recommendations
of committee.]

Now I will call your attention to the fact
that, first, this is a Union restricted to produc-
ers; second, that the ownership in it is propor-
tioned by acres to the interest in the fruit pro-
duced; third, that the ownership of stock is
treated as a merely nominal matter; that it is
not desired to make it a profit-paying stock — to
make it a stock that could or would be sought
for as a profitable investment, but simply giv-
ing to it an interest barely compensating the
capital invested, and letting the bulk of the
profit go to the parties who produce the fruit in
the proportion that they shall furnish such
fruit. Now, I think this corporation, put into
effective practice, is "boiled-down co-opera-
tion," if I know what it means. The business
ia done by the producers themselves, in their

own behalf, and the profit divided among
themselves. The theory in the management
of the practical business details, when we come
to them, will be that the Union, in handling
its business, shall receiveI,from the parties who
deal with it, or who ship fruit, the same rates
of commission that are now received by commis-
sion merchants, or that are paid by producers
in the various channels where they now dispose
of their produce, and that the Union will then
proceed to handle those goods on the most eco-
nomical basis possible, and whatever surplus is
left after paying necessary expenses will come
back to the stockholders, or to fruit producers,
which is the other name for stockholders,
in proportion to their shipments, less the
six per cent interest on the stock and the
two per cent reserve. Now for a clear un-
derstanding of the question of fruit ship-
ments. It is perhaps proper that I should
read to you what they have been dur-
ing 1S85 to October 1st. In the reports that have
been compiled the committee have embodied
the entire shipments of all fruits; but I will not
weary you with the details, suffice it to say that
the shipment of green deciduous fruits, classi-
fied distinctly from the citrus fruits, have
been, for the year 1885 up to October 1st, 1025
carloads, almost exclusively from the North;
only 66 carloads have gone from Los Angeles.
I can now make a similar report on the citrus
fruits. These reports have been made in
pounds, I have reduced them to carloads: 8an
Francisco shipped 1 car, Los Angeles 1119 cars,
Sacramepto 1 car; there have been minor
quantities shipped from Marysville, Stockton
and Oakland, but those are immaterial. The
grand total of the shipment of oranges is 1121
cars. These have been distributed to the fol-
lowing points: Denver, 72 cars; Pueblo, 7
cars; Omaha, 62 cars; Lincoln, Neb., 28 cars;
other points in Nebraska, 2 cars; Atchison, 26
cars; Leavenworth, 11 cars; Topeka and other
cities in Kansas, 15 cars; Council Bluffs, 6 cars;
Des Moines, 3 cars; Davenport, Dubuque and
other points in Iowa, 51 cars; Kansas City, 120
cars; St. Joseph, 58 cars; St. Louis, 68 cars;
other cities of Missouri, 2 cars; San Antonio,
Texas, 12 cars; Galveston and Houston, 9 cars;
Austin, Dallas and other points in Texas, 12
cars; New Orleans, 5 cars; Louisville, 3 cars;
Cincinnati, 28 cars; Cleveland, Toledo and
other cities in Ohio, 59 cars; Chicago, 246 cars;
Peoria, Rock Island and other cities in Illinois,
15 cars; Detroit, 9 cars; other cities in Michi-
gan, 3 cars; Indianapolis, 19 cars; Terre Haute,
Evansville and other cities in Indiana, 15 cars;
Milwaukee, 25 cars; St. Paul and Minneapolis,
115 cars; New York, 2 cars; Boston, 1 car;
Philadelphia 1 car, other Atlantic cities 1
car. Now, I consider that table to be instruct-
ive to the shippers of citrus fruits, as it indi-
cates that, except at second hands, through
Chicago, the great Atlantic seaboard, with its
vast consuming population, has not even been
broached. It indicates that Chicago is what I
have heard a fruit-grower very aptly term it,
"the dumping point for the fruit of California,"
and it frequently is that, in a financial sense.
Now, too much fruit goes in that direction, and
vastly too little to the markets of the Eastern
seaboard. Well, perhaps that has been inev-
itable under the existing condition of things;
perhaps it has not been possible to reach the
Eastern seaboard; we feel, with reference to

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

the deciduous fruits of the North, which here-
tofore have been shipped only by passenger
trains, that it really is so, and that, until we
get special fruit trains and the consequent re-
ductions of freights which only can come by
special fruit trains, those far Eastern markets
cannot be reached. Still it is evident, from the
foregoing statement, as it is also evident from
the statement of green fruit shipments, that
the Eastern markets have not been developed
at all in proportion to the development of our
capacity to produce fruit, and that if we are
to go on and produce fruit with the new acre-
age which stands behind us, coming along to
contest the markets with us, to crowd us down
into a condition of absolute loss, we have a
great deal to do to develop not only the markets
that are partially occupied, but the markets
that are comparatively unoccupied. Now I
think the great necessity of united action in an
endeavor to reach and develop those markets,
cannot be denied, and that it needs imme-
diate organization of all in interest. It
does not do for one locality to say, as
did our neighbors on the Central Pacific in
Placer county, "We have exceptional facili-
ties; we have choice mountain fruit. It is of
high repute in the East, where it has the pref-
erence. We are at a very favorable shipping
point, and we can get along. We make up our
local co-operative organizations and we are get-
ting along nicely." That is what they did say,
and one town made a co-operative organization,
and another followed, and before the shipping
season was over they had five co-operative or-
ganizations, and the competition between those
local shipping organizations was just as marked,
and just as capable of paying Irish dividends,
as if it had been individuals, and the result is,
those gentlemen have candidly said. We must
take shelter under the wings of the general
State organization, and they have done it.
Now, there are considerations peculiar to every
locality, and yet it seems to me, that conceding
every claim that any locality may make, it will
fare better in a general State Union, in the
great congregation, with such a corporation as
we have proposed, than if it were standing by
itself, each locality by itself. I can see very
clearly that, in some sense, there has been too
much of the stay-at-home principle among all
the fruit-growers of this State, and, not to be
misunderstood, I will explain to you what I
mean by that. I do not think the bulk of the
fruit-growers of California know what has been
done and what is being done all over the State,
in the way of multiplying means of producing
fruit. I do not think the fruit men to-day
know what stands behind them in the way of
certain competition from the produce of other
and new localities. I don't think they appre-
ciate what we have got to handle, so as
to shape our markets. Now, to-day's market
may be satisfactory to a shipper in one locality,
and next year's market may he an entirely dif-
ferent thing, because his neighbor, who has
heretofore been a non- producer, may wheel
into line as a producer, and push along to the
front and divide the market. It looks to me as
if you have got to consider and provide against
that very thing. The special matter that is to
be considered here, at this meeting, is the desir-
ability of a corporation like this, in connection
with the interests of this locality, and I ask
your attention to a number of points that bare

upon that matter. I suppose that everybody in
Southern California, interested in citrus fruits,
has heard of the place called Florida, and
that there is a production of fruit there of
the same class as produced by you here, and
perhaps, in a measure, with identical inter-
ests. Those producers of fruits are far
nearer to a market than we are of the far West,
and far less burdened with difficulties of getting
to a market, it is true that, in a great degree,
they do not come to market at the same time
that your producers do, but they are an element
of competition with you, in certain seasons, and
a class of difficulties that assail your interests
are nearly identical with the difficulties that
they have had, although their difficulties are
in a very much less degree. Now I have here
a circular which sets forth a prospectus of what
is called the Florida Fruit Exchange. It is an
organization that is gotten up by the citrus
fruit producers in Florida, to protect them-
selves from the difficulties that are al-
most identical with those you have here.
[Reading from a prospectus.] Then fol-
lows the plan of the exchange which
shows that it is proposed to handle all
the fruits from the State under one general
business organization, having its headquarters
at Jacksonville, Florida, having a board of
directors, nine in number, and having the
business details intrusted to one general man-
ager, also located at Jacksonville. Now, that
is a brief outline of what arrangement the fruit-
producers and shippers of Florida have been
compelled to adopt under the condition of
things that is not certainly as serious as that
which exists here. I may remark that they
have no such difficultj' with their freights, and
they have really far better facilities of market-
ing than you Southern California producers,
and I do not think it admits of any argument
that what has been necessary in their case is
equally necessary with you. Perhaps I have
wasted your time unnecessarily in elaborating
that point, because it will be readily admitted
by all of you that the necessity exists for some
form of union or organization that will
straighten these questions and redress your
grievances. Now, I will take one step further
in that same direction, as illustrating the prac-
tical operation of such an organization as that
just formed in Florida. I have here the in-
structions that are given by the Florida Fruit
Exchange for the regulation of shipments,
showing somewhat more of the details of their
proposed opex-ation. There is much of it that
you will think is mere detail, but I do think
that some of the facts that are enlarged upon,
as to the necessity of care and selection and
uniformity of packing and scrupulous pains-
taking for the good repute of fruit, ought to
come home to us in California. I hold that one
of the first duties that should devolve upon the
Fruit Union in California ought to be to incul-
cate the idea that each and every producer, of
whatever veriety of fruit, should work to raise
the standard of repute of California fruit,
either deciduous, citrus, or whatever it may
be. Our reputation in the Eastern markets de-
pends upon united action in that respect; more
depends upon that than you think, and fruit-
producers and the handlers of produce gener-
ally are not sufficiently alive to it.
Railroad Bates.
The fast transportation heretofore of green

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

fruits has been limited to passenger trains,
with a charge of $6 a car, subject to all the
vicissitudes of the overland passenger and ex-
press trains, which was held not to be the best
class of transportation, even were the rates
thereon very much reduced. In seeking a so-
lution of that question, the committee thought
the best policy was to go immediately to head-
quarters, and seek an interview with President
Leland Stanford, of the Southern Pacific Com-
pany, because all the elements of transpor-
tation from this locality are controlled by Mr.
Stanford's corporations. We sent him an in-
vitation to meet us. He responded by meeting
us in our offices, and he answered all questions
we put to him, and volunteered a great many
suggestions. The one controlling idea, in all
he said, and he went out of his way to elabor-
ate that, was that fruit men could not expect
any better results from their interest as long as
they handled it in the unbusicess-like way that
they were doing. He said: "Gentlemen, or-
ganize your business, make a business basis, so
that the transportation companies can make
some calculations and predicate something on
it, and we then can give you what you need."
He said further, "As to any increased facilities
or decreased rates on passenger trains, that is
out of the question. Our passenger trains are
already overloaded, so that we seek rather to
increase the rates and decrease the burden of
business. The only way out of the difficulty
is a special fruit train, and, when you come to
consider a special fruit train, we need to have
an organized body with whom we can negotiate
that will assure us a load for those trains.
You may think it is an easy matter for
us to put on these trains, and say
'here are your cars, load them up,' but
the result, if we should do that, would be we
would have twice the load we could carry one
day and nothing the next day, so that it is en-
tirely out of the question. However, I will
promise you that if you organize your interests,
and if you present yourself to us in such a shape
that you can specifically contract for a freight
train of 15 cars per day, or every other day, as
the case may be, you shall have that train for
$300 per car — on a fast schedule time. It shall
be a train with all the improved appliances for
the safe transportation of fruit, the cars shall
not be fitted with the ordinary freight plat-
form, but they shall have the Miller plat-
form, to take the shock off the stoppages,
and the train shall be run on a fast schedule
time, not stopping at way stations except
for coal and water. By that means, being in
motion all the time, it will keep up a cir-
culation of air that will be far better for the
fruit, and you may be sure that the delivery of
the fruit will be better than it can possibly be
by the present system of passenger trains.
And, further, in response to a specific inquiry,
he said he would give us the same special fa-
cility of the slow freight train, with a specific
time table, which might be nearly as fast as the
special fruit train at times, and at other times
not so fast, at $200 a car, and that, having con-
tracted for them, the trains were in our control.
We could load them as we pleased, and that, in
order to avoid any features of monopoly that
naight be alleged against them, if anybody else
wanted a train they could have it, too, the idea
being that a "special fruit train" is a matter
that would have to be arranged by contract.

Further than that he said: "We believe in the
fruit interest of California as the great interest
of the State, if properly organized and devel-
oped. We believe that it can be developed so
as to overshadow every other every other in-
terest of the State, and to be proportionately
freight- producing for us, and, in that view, we
want to do everything we can to encourage it;
we cannot encourage it as it is, because there
is nothing specific that we can encourage; but,
when organized and put on a business like
basis, you will find that you can have anything
that business-like reason calls for. If $300 a
c r, on fast time, does not enable you to dis-
pose of your fruits, does not enable you to fill
the Eastern markets and to feed these 50,000,-
000 that want your fruit, we shall know what
to do." Now, it seems to me, therefore, that
the transportation question is solved, just
as soon as we can get together in a co-
operative organizatioQ. Now we have
nothing further to urge in that connection, we
think that it might safely be left to the com-
mon sense of the fruit producers of California,
whether they will avail themselves of such fa-
cilities and advantages or not, for the only
thing thab they are called upon to do to secure
them is to

Unite in an Organization,
Which practically costs them so little. Still
further, there may be said to be other consider-
ations connected with the transportation ques-
tion that may be counted on to materially in-
crease the direct advantages in special fruit
train transportation. Thus, when damage is
met that is not the fault of the shipper, and
does not come by the act of God or the stress
of elements, it is very apparent that, in hand-
ling all such matters, we can get a great deal
better satisfaction and more considerate treat-
ment, as an organization, than we can get as
individuals. I think it is apparent, too, that
the stronger organization we have, the better
fruit producers will fare. This may truly be
said as to the power of united organization.
Something has been said here as to the need of
legislation for protection against insect pests.
Now, suppose any one locality wants legisla-
tion, goes to the legislature and asks it, or goes
to congress. You will go home, feeling that
you have been insulted all the time by the way
you have been treated; but if a demand comes
from the united fruit- groivers of California —
not less than 10,000 in number, as they prob-
ably are now — if it is put into proper, legiti-
mate shape, with the suggestion that there is
an organization behind it, my impression is
that you will get a very speedy and favorable
response. I think that in all questions of leg-
islation, of dealing with transportation compan-
ies, of local good government, of taxes,
of assessment of your property, the time
has come to say that the fruit pro-
ducers of California are going to organ-
ize to protect themselves, and that they know
what power lies in a united organization, and
that they mean, within the bounds of reason,
to avail themselves of that power, and to exer-
cise it; I say that is a perfectly legitimate thing
to do, I say that the individual fruit-grower
would be neglectful of his interests if he did
not so do. There is a whole mass of questions
lying behind those I have mentioned which
would suggest themselves to any intelligent
thinker, and which would receive a favorable

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

answer at the hands of a united organized
power far better than by individual action.
The question discussed this forenoon, of cheap
and uniform packing can be easily solved when
all act together. Nobody need be hurt, but
equal rights to all can be secured in a very lit-
tle time under an organization.

Now, much has been said here as to local dis-
tinctions that procure, as to the different sea-
sons in your particular locality for fruit ship-
ment, as to the necessity, in short, of a local
organization to adequately represent your inter-
ests. I am not surprised at it, but I candidly
think that the propositions are not based upon
solid reason; you commence to ship your oranges,
as I understand it, in January and you ship till
May. If you have a local organization you
have got to take care of that organization, you
have got to take care of its officers for the
whole year to secure their services for those
four months. In the first place, as I under-
stand it, all propositions that have been ad-
vanced for a local organization necessarily call
for a very much larger capital than you would
need to contribute to a general State organiza-
tion; inasmuch as you have got to create dupli-
cate facilities and carry duplicate capital; you
have got to carry substantially for the entire
year the officers and the official machinery for
the business of four months of the year that
might just as well serve you for four months,
and serve the rest of the State for the other
months. My business experience divides this
proposition into this shape. Suppose the or-
ganization enlists the confidence of the whole
State, and suppose it goes immediately to work:
the first thing to engage it would be the hand-
ling of the citrus fruits, and in a couple of
months, I understand, your shipments will be
sufficient to load special trains, and the con-
templated arrangement would give you the ad-
vantages of the Southern or Northern route as
you might prefer, and, if you have an insuffi-
ciency of fruit you can, by joining with the de-
ciduous fruit shipments of Northern California
make up your quota of the special trains.
Later in the season, when the weather is warm,
you, for obvious reasons would prefer the
cooler route, and probably would avail your-
selves of the Northern route, and, later still,
when the bulk of your crop is shipped, and you
could not yourselves make up a traiu, you
would be very glad to join in making up a train
with the deciduous fruits of the North, so I
think you would decidedly profit in that regard.
The organization, the officers, and the business
machinery of the Union, after handling your
business for those months could then immedi-
ately proceed to attend to other profitable busi-
ness, in other sections. From the months of
May to October, and sometimes into November,
they could be working on the deciduous fruit
shipments of the North, and earning profits, so
that the persons necessary to conduct your
business, as a local distinct shipping business in
its proper season would really be no burden to
you in those months, but would do other busi-
ness than yours and earn supporting profits"
There would be two months in the year, per-
haps, when there would be neither business
from the South or the North, and, in my judg-
ment, that would be far less time than is desir-
able, and could be usefully used in the study
and development of the Eastern markets.

Now whatever you may say, however you

may view the fruit marketing proposition, it
eventually comes down to the consumer ; you
can't get your money for fruit unless somebody
takes it to you. After you organize your busi-
ness so that you can make up the special trains
to get the fruit to the consumer on these re-
duced rates of freight, which we all concede
will be reasonable and justify good expectation
for the future, the question is. Where is the con-
sumer ? It looks to me that a very consider-
able amount of work has got to be done in the
East, to make the consumption adequate to
the supply of California fruit, for my judgment
is that the fruit production in California is nat-
urally increasing more largely than the con-
sumption in the East, that is, if left to work it-
self out. Now we have got to set to work in
the East, and we have got to put men there to
work out the details of the business throughout
the year as we ship. Now you start your cars
when you think they are in good order, and
you trust Providence that they may get through
in good order and find profitable sale, Some of
you have had occasion to notice when you get
your account sales that they are reported to
have come in other than in good order, and to
feel as you would like to know of your own
knowledge whether that was really the case or
not. Well, that may have been an unfounded
feeling, and nevertheless a proper organization
with its reliable Eastern agents should be made
to see to all those things in the East, and to
enable you to know for a certainty that the
management of the cars and the trains will be
such that they can be inspected, in proper
form, before arriving at the destination and
being unloaded, and to know what the condition
of the fruit is, and to report accordingly, and,
in the meantime, all who are employed
in the corporation, as such Eastern agents, can
be working up those Eastern markets. Now,
in the course of the work that I have done in
connection with the California Fruit Union, as
secretary, I have been receiving a great many
letters — you would be astonished to see how
many, bearing upon the proposition of the de-
velopment of the Eastern markets from men
here and East, who hear of this fruit producers'
movement, and who are familiar with the East-
ern markets. They all agree that nothing less
than a fully equipped and continuously work-
ing organization can do justice to the subject
of marketing California fruit. You may locally
be able to solve the question of transportation
for a portion of the year, but if you do you will
do it under far greater difficulties than you can
under the management of a general State
Union, and you will do it in comparative dis-
regard of the development of Eastern markets.

I think I have already alluded to the rela-
tion of your shipping for certain mouths to
northern shipments, but I may repeat that your
earliest summer shipments, in the judgment of
those of your largest producers with whom I
have conversed, would stand far better as tak-
ing part in the shipments of the "special fruit
trains" by the Northern route, with the early
northern fruits than they can by themselves on
your southern route, and that is so important
a consideration that it should not be lost sight
of.

I have already suggested the comparison be-
tween the effective work to be accomplished by
the general organization with that of the local
organization. I will recur to that topic to say

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

that the work of the general organization, will
be continuously for eight months in the year, in
shipping, and for the other four months in the
development of markets, working up
statistical information and doing vari-
ous other things that are of great
importance to your interests, although you may
consider them secondary to the actual shipping.
Now, I do not think they are secondary; I
think that if nothing else could be accom-
plished by such an organization as is proposed
than the statistical districting of this State as
to its products, knowing who the producer is,
where he is, and what lie produces, when it is
coming into bearing, and when he will be ready
to ship, and generally all such information
that that alone would this year or the next year
be cheap to any and all producers at the cost of
the subscription to this Union; and back of all
that is the information as to the Eastern mar-
kets, and the two together would be far more
than equivalent to anything you would have to
pay for it. I would point out again that the
whole idea and theory of this Union is that
each fruit-grower contribu'es a dollar an acre
for a certain class of benefits, be they more or
leas, and that such contribution is represented
by the profit-paying stock. But, taking the
worst view, and supposing that the money
were given away, I do not think that any of
you should hesitate one moment if you were
approached by a competent, reliable man, who
should offer to you just these advantages, for a
fee of one dollar an acre, to be absolutely paid
out by you. I think you would consider it
cheap.

Now, I have heard inquiry as to responsi-
bility on the subscription of stock. The re-
sponsibility is solely this : Our law provided
that the liability in subscribing to and taking
stock in a corporation shall not exceed the pro-
portion of the amount of the capital stock that
is subscribed in the corporation. A party
taking SlO in stock may lose his stock and $10
more in it as the utmost. If there be any
bugbear in that it is very slight in propor-
tion to the interest and benefits involved.
There is another feature of your situation here
that I do not think is sufiiciently presented as
to your local interests. You probably all know
that you have a large acreage in other than cit-
rus fruits in these southern counties; that, in
the next two or three years, you will be large
producers of peaches, apricots and pears, and
some other varieties. The tendency, as I see
here from year to year, is to increase your area
of deciduous fruits. Now, it may be said that
there is a large portion of those that are planted
with reference to drying, but the fact still re-
mains that it is very desirable to have the op-
portunity to ship them as green fruits, and it
is held by those conversant with the subject
that all those fruits may go East and find
a ready market under proper conditions.
Here, as over the rest of the State, we
have not yet begun to appreciate what
may be done in the shipment of apples,
or to establish any proper system of shipment.
Perhaps, in some cases, under 'the advantages
of the cold storage car that is now being offered
to shippers at the moderate rate of a quarter of
a cent a pound, we may reach many markets
we do not now dream of with perishable fruits,
so that it is not a proper view of the case to
restrict your ideas and conclusions solely to

citrus fruits. I hear much, locally, as to the
various districts here, with reference to the
supposed preference in the quality of produc-
tion of each location. My idea in reference to
that is that the whole thing comes down to one
common fact, and that is the Eastern market.
It is not what you say, or do, or think, here.
It is the Eastern market, the consuming ele-
ment, that controls. Now the man that pro-
duces, in any given locality, a better fruit than
his neighbor will get the benefit of it; his brand
gives it a value, and it consequently stands by
itself and sells upon its merit, and he gets the
benefit of it. It may be well said that it is de-
sirable for every producer of California fruit, as
you saw so strongly stated in the Florida ship-
ping directions, by every means in his power to
raise the standard of California fruits as a
class, so that they may go forth with the very
highest possible reputation. I do not think it
answers for any one community to say we can
take care of ourselves. If a man produces the
very best of a product and his neighbor is send-
ing to market an article just a little less excel-
lent in character, it is sure to have an efifect
upon the price of the first, unless there is some
regulation, some influence that equalizes the
tendencies of competition. I have seen, in the
six weeks that I spent going around in your
various localities here, a number of instances
among my friends, where they found out, after
the evil was too late to remedy, that their
neighbors had been doing them very serious
damage in competing with them without being
aware of it, without intending to do it, a thing
that could not happen under proper organiza-
tion. Nor do I thinK the fact that any region
is better in quality of its produce than another
justifies it in expecting to stand as well by
itself, and distinct, as it can stand in a union
such as is proposed. I think, of course, that
such benefits may be secured by a local union;
but, as I before said, at very much greater cost
than a State Union. As to the status of Cali-
fornia citrus fruits in the Eastern markets, it is
evident that there needs be much work done
upon them, and I think the stronger organiza-
tion we have to do that work the better. It is
an undeniable commercial fact that, although
we did carry away many good prizes at the
New Orleans exposition, the bulk of Eastern
consumers give preference to the Florida or-
anges, if both it and the California
are in the market at the same time.
Very fortunately for us they are not
competing throughout the season, although
they do compete to some extent? Now, 1 think
work can usefully be done in doing away with
that prejudice and upbuilding the general repu-
tation in the East among the consumers of
California oranges as such, and I think the
work that should be so done would bear profit-
able fruit in the organization sales, and in all
that relates to California fruit. We must work
for the highest possible reputation that can be
achieved; we must woik here with the produc-
ers to induce them to make their product such
as would entitle it to that repute, and to pack
it in a way that would do justice to itself, and
to send it to market in a way that it would
arrive in such a condition that it will secure for
it the first place as California fruit, and that is
the work for a general organization. No local
organization can do it, for the moment you
submit it to a local organization you act upon

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

this idea. "Our market will take care of itself,
and the rest of the State can take care of itself"
— that is what it would come to. I have heard
a good deal as to the best methods and neces-
sary expenditures for freeing our trees of the
insect pests, and I am impelled to ask of what
value may they be, or the usefulness of any
such expenditures made in that direction, if we
do not settle the other proposition of what we
can do with the fruit when we raise it, and,
while that subject is very important, yet the
market question is of paramount importance,
and should be dealt with accordingly.

Among the necessary and profitable results
■ of such an organization as suggested, might be
mentioned the development of the business
in dry fruit. That is a business that
may be largely developed under proper
handling; for if you 'go on with your
dried fruit shipments, without some efforts to
prepare markets in advance, you will find you
have overstocked the markets to such an extent
that you will get little or nothing for them.
Another advantage that you would find to grow
out of this organization would be the prompt
handling of the question of reclamations. I am
aware that certain classes of losses have been
thrown entirely upon the shipper that, under
proper regulations, could not have been thrown
upon him, and I believe that, with a distinctive
organization, with proper management, you will
get benefits in that way.

There is one consideration that >eems to me,
in one sense, to transcend all these details, and
that is the capital value' of our property. It
will come home to almost any of you who pos-
sess property that when you can run your busi-
ness, so that you may know that your neighbor
is not practically running against you, so that
you may know that profitable results may be
reached through your products, you have got
something on which you can stand financially.
I don't think it is a bold statement, I don't
think it is one that any of you will call in ques-
tion, to say that such is not generall)' the fact
to-day; I know that such is not the fact with
reference to the property I am interested in. I
know that absolutely it has not, under the
present condition of things, a market value
half what I counted it worth a year ago, and,
as I said before, that is my great impelling mo-
tive in taking hold of this movement so seri-
ously. Now I say that the very day you have
consummated a united organization, and the
broader the better, then you settle your prop-
erty values, so that, in comparison to the
gains you would make in that way, the
contribution that you are called upon to make
to the capital of the Union is ridiculously small
— so ridiculously small as to be contemptible.
I have said something in regard to working up
information as to the markets. I do not think
it is any disparagement of those who, in the
Eastern markets, have handled our fruits here-
tofore—I say that they have not been able to
furnish us any information as to what those
markets were or might be. It is not to be ex-
pected that they can go far out of the channels
of their daily business in disposing of such
fruits as come to them, and filling such orders
as come to them; and the matter of the crea-
tion of new markets, of the opening up of ex-
tensions of present markets, was hardly to be
expected. It is a matter that requires the in-
vestment of time and money, and that matter,

in my judgment, can only be effectively accom-
plished by an organization that is formed — not
for to-day, not for to-morrow — but to work
continuously for the purpose of making a mar-
ket that will last and grow for all time, and
knowing that behind it is this vast area in Cal-
ifornia that is coming in and being built up on
the Eastern consumers. We have got to do it
by working up Eastern consumers; we can't do
it by anj' easy means, we can't do it by any in-
dividual operation, and I don't think you can
do it by any local action.

Now, gentlemen and ladies, Mr. President
while I would apologize to you for taking so
much of your time, I really have had a very
extensive subject to go over, and being con-
scious that I have only just touched upon a
good many points, I hold myself at the dispo-
sal of any gentleman who has any special in-
quiry to make, to respond to it if I am able.

Discussion on Fruit Union.

A Delegate: I would like to ask one ques-
tion: Suppose I have five shares and five acres
and sell my five acres, what becomes of my five
shares?

Mr. Livermore: The proposition is that
stock should be transferred only to parties
owning equivalent acres. If you sell your five
acres to a man who does not own five acres of
producing area, such as comes within the pro-
vision of the stock, why, he would lose his
right to vote on that stock; he would not lose
his property in it, but he would not have a
right to come into our meetings and vote. He
would have his proper interest in the stock and
draw hi° dividends on it, but it is distinctively
intended to provide that stock shall not be
voted that does not hold an interest equivalent
in producing lands. A man buying the land is
eligible to hold the stock.

A Delegate: My idea was, supposing he re-
fused to take my five shares — supposing he re-
fused to receive them?

Mr. Livermore: You might be in such a po-
sition as to lose five dollars.

Dr. Cougar: I would ask the gentleman to
correct the matter in regard to the shipment of
oranges. Los Angeles has not shipped 1100
cars; Riverside must have shipped 400 and San
Gabriel at least 175 carloads.

Mr. Livermore: I will merely say in ex-
planation that the railroad reports have placed
under the heading of Los Angeles all the ship-
ments from this district, and do not give credit
to any of the other points at all, b^ause I sup-
pose they take that to be the terminal point. I
think that is a proper correction.

A Delegate : There is another question I
would like to ask : suppose I should take five
shares of stock: would I be permitted then to
sell my crop, providing I thought I could do it
to better advantage to some other parties at
home?

Mr. Livermore: For local consumption.
The idea is that so far as crops have a destina-
tion to Eastern shippers whether direct or in-
direct, it should be through the Union so as to
protect the Eastern shippers.

A Delegate : What would be the consequence
supposing I should sell to some local dealer in
Los Angeles, for instance, and he should make a
shipment outside of the organization ?

Mr. Livermore: The consequence would be
that he would pay twice as much freight as the

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

special trains of the organization. You under-
stand that the privileges of special trains are
proposed to be limited to the organization. We
should expect any party who should take stock
with us, would do it with the idea of faithfully
observing the common interest of protecting
Eastern shipments. It would not be to his
interest to let his fruit go in the direction where
it could come in conflict with our Eastern ship-
ments. If it should be sold to an outsider it
would not compete because they can't put it
on the special trains and I think the result of
this union would be to control aVjsolutely all
Eastern shipments. Unquestionably you can
sell to anybody you desire to.

A Delegate : Would $300, according to Sen-
ator Stanford's proposition, pay the freight on a
carload of fruit to New York City, or simply to
Chicago ?

Mr. Livermore : The rate is only to Chicago,
but with proportional rate to other points, less
to shorter points and more to Atlantic ports.

Mr. Williams : Suppose we make 14 car-
loads of fruit on Wednesday and can't get the
other car. What are we going to do then ?

Mr. Livermore: Well, we had this question
up before Governor Stanford, and we asked him
if that rule was cast-iron and whether we have
got to live up to it and pay the freight whether
we filled it or not. He said: "Gentlemen, I can't
in advance, lay down the rule, but here is the
fact: If you are organized and doing business in
an organized and business-like way and find
that you do not just reach the point of 15 cars,
we shan't trouble you as an organization." That
is about what he said, meaning thereby that he
would do the best he could, and if we would do
the best we could as an organization we should
be dealt with with leniency and tolerance. I con-
sider from that that if we could not make up
the full 15 cars on any given day he would take
what we could make.

Mr. Williams: Another question : Suppose
in my way I do not care to ship through the or-
ganization and want to go to Mr. Porter. Shall
I pay Messrs. Porter Bros, their 10 per cent
commission and the organization 10 per cent
commission?

Mr. Livermore: Not if you are as good a
business man as I take you to be. This has
been about the rule in handling the Eastern
shipment of fruit; the producers in their vari-
ous localities will be' staying home minding
their business. They do not know what other
localities are producing, but would just as likely
be impressed with the idea that what was
scarce with them was scarce everywhere, and
some of these people would come out about a
month before the season for shipping, and they
make it their business to do what our local pro-
ducers are not doing; they keep their eyea open
and their mouths shut, and when they get
through they know just what are the facts with
reference to the production of the whole ship-
ping area of California, This is what I know
they do, and they have done it repeatedly under
my observation. They then go to a given lo-
cality where they think the fruit is most plenti-
ful, and they pick out the man who they think
is most in the need of money and likely to be
the weakest, and get a standard price from him
and so go all around and use that as the cri-
terion, so that the producer is practically com-
peting with such a condition of things all the
time and has been.

Dr. Congar: There is another point, perhaps
it has slipped your mind, but I will try to bring
it out; it is in regard to the competing lines of
railroad. Now, fortunately or unfortunately,
for Southern California, we have, according to
the papers, two lines over which we may be
able to ship our fruit; one is styled the Atlantic
and Pacific and the other is the Southern Pa-
cific. Now is it not possible that Mr. Stanford
and the Atlantic people might have a falling out
and it might work as it sometimes does, that
the Atlantic and Pacific p6ople should say to
Mr. Stanford, "We are going to try and secure
our proportion, or perhaps we are going to se-
cure the control of this fruit." Now if we should
have been bound up in the meantime with the
Southern Pacific Company how can we extricate
ourselves from that contract when the other line
of communication might say they will take our
fruit for one-half, and if we join the association
where we are absolutely bound, we lose the op-
portunity, perhaps, of taking the advantage of
these circumstances. Now this has just come
to pass. We do not know that it will work out
as practically as I have suggested, but there
have been intimations that point a little in that
direction. While I am on my feet I wish to
say this on behalf of Pasadena, Los Angeles,
San Gabriel and other points, that knowing the
people out there, being myself one of the oldest
settlers, I doubt very much whether, under the
existing circumstances, we can get the consent
of the people to go into the organization de-
scribed this afternoon, although I intend to
join it myself, and, may I also be induced to join
others here. We have got to make this matter
clear and if there are any difficulties connected
with it they must be explained away.

Mr. Livermore : As to the matter of rail-
road competition, either present or possibly in
the future, I believe that a close understanding
does exist between the corporations that does
away with any probability of competition. It
is a well understood fact, for all that the news-
papers may say, that there are binding caners
signed that close that up, and even supposing
the contingency that a subsequent rupture
might come that would bring about a competing
interest here, I do not doubt that in any con-
tract the proviso might be made that the rates
would be subject to subsequent modification
from competing interests, and that is one of the
things that such an organization could accom-
plish when a local organization could not.

Mr. Milco : Some time ago I wanted to
ship a carload of goods to New York to our
office there, and I applied to Mr. Gray to find
out whether he would not take our goods
through New Orleans and by water communica-
tion to New York for less money. I said :
"You run the whole line clear through and you
only own a portion of the other road that runs
as far as Ogden: you may just as well give us
a lower rate." He said: "No, we can't do
any such thing; we would have to submit such
a proposition to the Transcontinental Union and
tell them all about what you desired, and
every one of these companies gets a certain pro-
portion, no matter what company secures the
freight." It is immaterial whether the A. & P.
takes the oranges from Los Angeles or whether
the S. P. takes it. There is no danger of the
A, & P., or any other railroad, at present, trying
to run over this big railway association that ex-
ists now, because I think they have got it

FIFTH ANJJFAL CONVENTTOTST

pretty well fixed to run it for a few years
longer.

Mr. Rose: There have been several meetings
of this kind, and these same questions come up
from time to time. They are all €|uestions that
can be arranged hereafter. Now, if I would go
to anyone of you, you would say this is a good
thing; but when you come to act you are slow,
so that it would seem as if it were a very bad
thing. Is it a fact that we want an
association in this city or eonnty, or
in this district for any purpose? if 3 ou say
yes to that, then why don't you do something
to that end. Here is a Fruit Union in the
State, which certainly can have some members,
even of each locality; it certainly can do some
good for any locality, because, substantially, the
expenses of any one locality will be the same as
for the whole State. If we organize here an as-
sociation for the protection of uranges and
lemons, what is it we have to do, I ask you?
We have to have somebody to distribute this
fruit, and not only one man, but several men.
You have got to have one man in every princi-
pal city in the United States, and in order to
place it there for sale and get the lowest com-
mission and the best men, you have got to sell
it yourself, by your own agents. If you com-
bine with the North with their deciduous fruits,
the same people will do all the work. I ask
you for yourselves, isn't it a fact that the same
men can do all this? Then, if it is desirable,
what is the risk in this thing? You say that
you have 20 acres of fruit trees, and you wish
to market the fruit; you have to pay $10 or .|20
at the outside, and that is not likely to be called
for at once. If you will come into this thing
you won't have to pay half of it. And what
4o you get for it? You have the right to ship
with the fruit-growers, and that in itself will
more than pay you your $10 or $20. As far as
what Dr. Congar says as to another railroad
company that may ship cheaper, there is no
compulsion to force us to take the train at all.
It is only when we want a train, when it is pos-
sible for us to make up a train, that we have it.
That is not individually to us, but it is to the
whole State of California. If I have a train I
can have the same rate, but by having the
State organization, by combining a great many
shippers, we may make up the train. That is
the object of the organization, and if we have
the opportunity to do that we will be sensible
to do so. We can go to anybody that will do
our work the cheapest, and to one railroad or
to the other.

So far as General Stanford is concerned, he
met this committee not as a railroad man, not
as a man to make money out of this affair, but
he met them as a man who had the good of the
people at heart. [Applause.] He met them be-
cause he wanted to see this State flourish and
he said to them there are millions of people that
will eat your fruit, if you will only present it to
them in a way that they can buy it. Of course
they have their fruits, but what are they ? We
have a different variety of grapes, on this
coast ; they are different from any they raise
back there. Our California apricots are better
than those they have^ and we can place these
fruits in the market there and at reasonable
prices, not at 50 cents a pound, but at such a
price as we can sell them.

Now you gentlemen are talking all the time
about oranges and lemons. What do I see when

I go abroad in some portions of our own county?
I see fields of apricots, fields of apple trees, of
prunes, of plams. What are these people to do
by and by? They will want a market and
they will hnd that they are not having as good
a market as they would like to have. If you
have a local organization, can yon take care of
them too ? As far as oranges or lemons are con-
cerned, it is a monopoly to this extent that you
have to have water, for substantially you can-
not raise oranges or lemons without irrigation
and we have one acre perhaps in a hundred that
we can irrigate in these southern counties.
What are you going to do- with the rest of it ?'
People are continually conaing in here and set-
tling our plains and making gardens without any
water, and what are they planting ? Planting
apricots, pears, apples, peaches, etc. And what
are they going to do ? That is not an easy thing
to say, and if anything is done you must do it
yourself. The trouble is people foresee too
many difficulties. You say this may be wrong,
and that may be wrong and you do not do any-
thing. There may be some little things to look
about and all that sort of thing, but this Fruit
Union is to be advantageous. By means of it
we will have privileges and can, by reason of be-
ing able to load cars, distribute our fruit nearly
all over the United States by having agents iui
all the cities, and there will be an opportunity
to sell to the best advantage. Gentlemen, you.
will find the necessity of coming to this, and'
why don't you do it now ?

Dr. Frey: I think that the most conserva-
tive fruitgrower in the section of country that
I come from about believes that it is time to do
something, or we will have to leave fruit-grow-
ing to some benevolent individual who is in-
clined to grow fruit for the good of the country.
I don't like the worms to eat up my fruit, and
I think it is just about as bad as to raise fruit
and give it away. I think all the difiiculty
there is in picking the fruit and packing the
fruit can be taken care of in quick succession.
We can pick the fruit and we can pack it, and
we can load the cars, but we can't dispose of
the fruit; neither can each locality send an
agent East to make arrangements for disposing
of the fruit. Therefore I say, and I think
every one must say, that it is necessary to have
some strong body that can do two things: one
is to dispose of the fruit and the other is to
make arrangements for the transportation. In
my locality we load about five cars a week.
Suppose the railroad company was to load five
cars a week: they would say we don't care
about five cars a week; but if they were to load
100 cars it would make a difference. Again, if
you have agents in the East, as you ought to
have, traveling about all the time, when the
fruit comes to a place that is fully stocked they
would send it to some place that is not over-
stocked, and then have a man there to see that
the cars are unpacked and the boxes not all
jammed to pieces. Your agent is traveling on
a salary, and he is discharged when he don't do
his duty. Then we are not so much at the
mercy of the commission men. They all, you
know, are honest men, but then it don't
do any harm to watch an honest man, and
if we have agents in that way traveling
about and picking out some of these commission
merchants that we think are partially honest,
and if they don't do their duty we would say to
them, "You can't handle anymore California

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

fruit," and I think they are very likely to be
have well. If you should say to them, "Now
you can't have any of our fruit," they would
say, "There is plenty more;" but if they knew
they could get no more, they would know what
to do. Therefore I say the main body would
do us a great deal of good, and I think it would
cost very little. But I see there are some diffi-
culties in the way. One is that California is a
very large State. Those who have not traveled
over it do not know that, but it is, and the
central body in San Francisco is very far off
from the northern part of the State, and very
far from the southern part of the State. Now
a body bitting in San Francisco would seem
very vague and distant to parties in the southern
part of the State. They do not know them,
and do not know whether to believe in them or
not, but I think they can be got over. I don't
think there is any difficulty to have sub- societies
in the different localities, say Los Angeles,
Stockton and Sacramento and further north of
the fruit-growing interests. I do not believe in
a president and secretary salaried; they are all
very fine for the officer, but not for the society.
and in each of these places we can have a board
of trustees who do not want anything except in
some cases their traveling expenses. These
men would be in direct communication with the
parent society in San Francisco. If we had any
communication we could make it to Sacramento
instead of to San Francisco, and if we had a
carload of fruit, instead of sending to San
Francisco we might send to Sacramento; but
at the same time, the main business that we
want to do is to sell our fruit, and that is done
by the parent society. I can see the good of
that and I can see that all these little details
can be made right by it. I can see the difficul-
ties, but I think they can all be obviated.

Mr. Sallee : This question of the importance
of organization needs no discussion. I, in com-
mon with every fruit grower in the State of
California, "have thought a good deal upon the
subject, and we are all a unit upon that ques-
tion. We know that the time has come when
an organization is imperative. It is not neces-
sary to discuss that question any more; the
great object to be obtained is the distribution
and sale of the fruit in the East. That is
where the money comes from; that is the great
object to be attained in this organization. In
oraer to accomplish that object, there are two
other things necessary, and one is the collecting
of statistics; the other is the loading, picking
and shipping the fruit. Those two things are
necessary in order to accomplish the one great
object of the di&tribution and sale of the fruit,
for from the distribution and sale of our fruit
we receive the benefits. It is this that is for
the welfare of the fruit-producer, and upon this
principle generally I am a democrat and I am
in favor of States' rights. The only question
is, is this practicable; has there been a practi-
cable solution of this great problem of the dis-
tribution and sale of fruit? Now, these gentle-
men come down here with less than five per
cent of the fruit-growers of Northern California
subscribed to this organization, representing to
us the accomplishment of that great object in
the North, and this is the object that must be
accomplished. Every fruit-grower knows it
must be accomplished; the question is, how are
we to get at it ? We have to go on the princi-
ple of States' rights. Where is the American

citizen that would say that this Government
would be a practical thing were Congress to
have the supervision of every State in this vast
Union ? We must go upon the same principle
that the Government goes; we must have
States; we must do what is suggested in the
paper read as by-laws, that the general man-
ager shall district the State into fruit-producing
districts. Now, he has the cart before the
horse; these districts must create the general
manager, just as the States of the Union
constitute Congress; the district corpora-
tion and organizations must constitute the
central organization, they have commenced at
the wrong end of it, there is no mistake about
that. Now, what is practicable? It is a practi-
cable thing that in every locality there can be an
organization formed. There is no man .in this
house who will deny that, and in many locali-
ties there have been organizations formed. I
have a paper in my pocket here from up in the
Sacramento valley; so in Santa Ana valley and
Santa Barbara and San Gabriel valley, and
there are others. Now, they represent^ the
States, and all these can be thrown into a cen-
tral corporation, and let that corporation be
represented in a Congress with representatives
upon the basis of the strength of this individual
corporation, and that forms the central power.
That central power would have little to do, for
each individual corporation makes its own by-
laws and manages its own local affairs. It does
not look to San Francisco for anything of that
kind. We from Southern California do not
want to send to San Francisco for a man to tell
us how to pack our oranges. We cannot do it,
and a man from San Francisco will not have
time to come down here and superintend the
packing of our fruits in Southern California,
neither will he have time to go to the extreme
North. These things must be done by the local
legislature, and it is the local legislature that
must create the central power, and in that way
it will get strength as a central organization.
They will negotiate with the railroad for ship-
ping facilities, they will have the management
and appointment for the attainment of this cen-
tral idea, for which we are all working — the dis-
tribution and sale of fruit. In that way, and
in that way alone can this organization
be formed. In the South we cannot make
a better showing than this is from
the North where they are not able to
show five per cent of the fruit-growers have
subscribed to the capital stock of the cen-
tral organization, but give us two weeks' time in
the individual corporation, and we can come
here with 95 per cent of the fruit-growers of
Southern California.

Mr. Rose : I was up at San Francisco but
did not propose to go into the Fruit Union of
any kind. State or local. I was courteously
treated and asked a good many questions, and
discussed matters then with them. And when
it came to the matter of taking stock, there were
present as many or more than here now, and all
those gentlemen took stock and they were rep-
resentive men of the State too. They have not
had time as yet to ask their constituents to join
them since that time. I believe it to be desir-
able to have the State organization where the
same men can do the whole business and could
do more if there was more to be done.

Mr. Hatch: At this last meeting in San
Francisco, there was an earnest interested

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

assembly of those who own fruit in California,
who were desirous of forming an organization,
and when we found that that would be done,
we decided upon one organization, by means of
which the fruits of California could be distribu-
ted throughout the markets of the East, and
competition might be avoided; and that with
two organizations this could not be done. To
my mind, competition was the main point to
avoid. That was the conclusion to which we
were forced by the result last season by a re-
duction of $200 a car. I was laughed at for say-
ing we would send too much fruit into certain
localities in the Eastern markets. Now that
competition must be avoided, and the fruit be
placed in the hands of one distributing house,
or agency, call it what you may, to dispose of
so that no place would have too much, and that
each place should have all it required. With
two organizations, call it a fruit-growers' union,
a co-operative union or anything else, they will
come into antagonism, because there is no lo-
cality in California but which, to some extent,
produces the same fruits that another locality
does. In your section here, the deciduous fruits
will form no small part of your production in
a very short time, and oranges from the north
•will compete with you more than you believe,
for there are many localities there where fine
oranges are raised, and they may yet success-
fully compete with you. You may put trans-
portation down very low, but to avoid competi-
tion is the main thing. I claim that if our
fruits were put in the East at the rate of one
dollar a ton, or if transportation would be such
as to pay us five dollars a ton for the privilege
of transporting it, that unless it was profusely
distributed, we would have no greater success
than we had this year, because there would be
too much in one place and we would get nothing
for it, as was the case in some instances this
year.

Thursday's Session.

The chair announced the following committee
of representatives of Southern California to con-
sider the matter of the California Fruit Union :

Dr. 0. H. Congar of Pasadena; Abott Kinney,
San Gabriel; James Bettner, Riverside; C. E.
White, Pomona; T. A. Garey, Los Angeles.

The chairman announce the topic for the
morning: "The best varieties of the different
kinds of fruits to meet the wants of consumers
in the dififerent seasons. "

THE LEMON.

Mr. A. P. Chapman, of San Gabriel, read the
following paper on the lemon :

In considering this subject we must begin
with the defects of the cultivator who has
forced it to become known at home and abroad
as large and pithy, of thick skin and bitter
rind.

Any lemon allowed to thoroughly ripen on
the tree is apt to, and generally does, develop
the aforesaid characteristics, and produces in
the cultivator a large hole in the pocket, pithy
brain and thick skull full of bitter thoughts.
We will divide our subject into heads: The care
and cultivation of the tree and the gathering
and packing of the fruit for market.

The lemon being very susceptible to frost we
choose a naturally dry and moist soil, but where
we can at will irrigate it; for the most im-
portant thing in plant life is water; without it

plant food is unavailable. Yet we will not irri-
gate too much for fear we may wash away part
of our plant food and make our soil too cold
and clammy.

Wemusfralso use manure, for of what bene-
fit is it to groom a horse and not feed him. And
we will feed him right well some 25 tons of
barnyard manure to the acre, and on that in
the fall of the year four barrels of lime that
to render our manure available.

We can plow our trees in the month of No-
vember, and turn under our summer weeds and
other manure. We will plow in the spring of
the year, and turn under our winter weeds, re-
membering all the time that they are our best
friends, for they will make our sandy soil rich
and dark; they make our adobe soil light and
yellow; they make both soils more susceptible
to hydroscopic moisture, and retain it. Chem-
ically, they supply the soil from the air with
carbon, and from the ground have made latent
plant food potent.

The trees should also be sprayed twice a year,
in June and September with two pounds of potash
to 100 gallons of water, which solution should
leave the caldron boiling hot. This not only
kills all insect life, but keeps your fruit perfectly
clean. Any man who has to wash his fruit has
made a failure in raising it.

The fruit should be gathered green of such
size that allowing for shrinkage, will pack from
250 to 350 to the box. A man gathering has
his sack suspended from across his shoulders,
plucks the lemon from the tree with his hands.
If he drops one he is not allowed to pick it up,
for that lemon is apt to rot.

He;;caref uUy places them in his sack and, hav-
ing filled the same, he places them one by one
in a tray; the trays are to be placed one above
another in the shade of a tree. They should be
six inches deep filled four inches deep with
lemons.

There they are allowed to remain for one
week, the weather permitting, before they will
bear the jar of transporting them to the pack-
ing house. At the packing house the trays are
to be placed one above the other about six trays
high. A layer of old newspapers is placed on
the topmost trays to keep the lemons therein
from drying too fast aud getting dusty. At the
end of another week, if the weather has not
been damp, they will be ready for packing: be-
ing yielding and leathery to the touch, they will
also have commenced to turn yellow. Assort
them into sizes and pack those of the same size
in a box by themselves.

ORANGE GROWING.

The following essay was read by Thomas A.
Garey, of Los Angeles:

In the year 1880, in my work on "Orange
Culture in California," I wrote as follows:
"That the culture of the citrus family of fruits
is destined to become one of the leading indus-
tries of the great State of California is no longer
disputed by the intelligent, reflective,
mind. That it is now, and will continue
to be one of the principal incentives to immigra-
tion into this State, is an acknowledged fact,
which is amply proven by the testimony of all
that have taken the trouble to inform them- .
selves on the subject." I see no reason to change
my views on this subject at the present time,
but am more than ever convinced that as time
elapses, and more knowledge is gained by prac-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

tical experience, the industry will be found to
be more remunerative in the future than it has
been in the past. I will here remark that in
this paper I prepare to quote largely from my
work on "Orange Culture in California," written
in 1880, and published by Dewey & Co., of San
Francisco in 1882, changing and altering the
subject matter where necessary, to conform to
knowledge acquired in the interim. The com-
bined efforts of leading and progressive horti-
culturists will awake men who are now engaged
in the great movement to organize protective
business associations, to facilitate, provide for
and control the markets for our citrus fruits in
the commercial centers of our country, will, in
the near future, in my opinion, bring increased
and highly remunerative returns for the prod-
uct.

I am as firm in the belief to-day as I was five
years ago that orange growing in California is
yet in its infancy. That orange growing, the
combination for active, practical work by act-
ual growers and producers will increase and the
result of their labors will stimulate the planting
of large areas to orange and lemon trees; hence,
the practical suggestions contained in this essay
may be of value to those planting new orchards.
It may be a warning and may enable new be-
ginners in the business to avoid the quicksands
and sunken rocks so abundant in the paths of
the orange-grower; may enable him to ford the
stream at a safe place. The information herein
contained has cost the writer many years of
time. If it proves of value to those engaged, or
who may engage in the business of orange-grow-
ing, I will be well repaid for my work. Pass-
ing over the matter of selection of seed, method
of planting and raising the plants, selection of
a proper site for an orange nursery, transplant-
ing to nursery rows, etc., I will first speak of
the

Selection of a Proper Site

For the location of an orange orchard. The
site of an orchard is the first and most im-
portant consideration. I believe, all things
considered, the table or mesa lands near the
mountains are the best orange lands. (There
seems to be some exception to this rule. ) The
flavor of the fruit in the valleys or near the sea
is good, but the prevailirg fogs and the exuda-
tions from the black scale united, soon cover
the limbs, leaves and fruit with a thick coat of
black fungus mold, rendering it unfit for mar-
ket and substantially unmerchantable.

Trees that are grown in nursery or low lands
that are covered with this mold, when trans-
planted to more favorable localities, soon be-
come clean and bright, proving conclusively
that location has much to do with clean or
smutty trees, and consequently clean, bright,
merchantable or smutty, black, comparatively
unmerchantable fruit.

Irrigation.

As the years roll by I am more than ever
fully convinced it is the greatest folly to under-
take to grow oranges successfully without irri-
gation. If the location is first-class and the soil
deep and rich, and the cultivation isthorough and
complete, the trees will grow and thrive until
fruit appears without irrigation. If UDn-irrigation
is persisted in aftsr fruiting shall have fully
commenced, the fruit will be dwarfed and un-
savory. At all events, an ample store of water

for use in emergencies is a safe and wise pro-
vision; it is my candid opinion the full measure
of success can never be attained without it. If
you succeed by thorough tillage without water
you will deserve to be envied, but ample irri-
gating facilities will be safe precautions and
will operate as an insurance policy against
drought.

The method of applying water to orange
trees is somewhat varied. In 1880 and 1881 82,
I was intensely interested in the system of un-
derground irrigation and believed it would be
a great labor saving, water saving and success-
ful method, especially in districts where water
was scarce. It has not, however, met my ex-
pectations, and the more primitive methods
still almost universally prevail. Though I be-
lieve irrigation absolutely necessary, I know
it is a great damage in many instances where an
excess of water is put upon the ground. I know
of but one disease the citrus family are subject
to in this county; it is what is known as the
gum disease. Excessive irrigation and slovenly
cultivation are admitted to be the source of this
disease. Orchards properly irrigated and cul-
tivated are not affected with gum disease, hence
you who are blessed with an abundance of
water, be careful and use it judiciously and in-
telligently. Orchards onhigh well-underdrained
land, that receive irrigation only when abso-
lutely necessary and that are carefully culti-
vated after each irrigation, and before the
ground shall have time to bake and crack are
always found free from this disease. The term
"gum disease" is after all undoubtedly a mis-
nomer; strictly speaking it is not a disease, it is
simply the result of improper treatment of the
trees. To cure this so called disease, remove
the tree and plant a sound tree in its place.

Soil.

The quality of the soil for an orange orchard
should be a deep, rich, sandy or gravelly loam
with an admixture of clay, and a gravelly sub-
soil free from hardpan — at all events, the hard-
pan should not be less than six feet from the
surface, but a soil with no hardpan is prefer-
able. Where hardpan is near the surface the
trees do well for a few years, but when the
roots reach this hard, impervious substratum
the tree at once begins to fail, the leaves turn
yellow, the ends of the branches begin to die
back, the orchard is ruined.

Selection and Purchase of Trees.

The selection and purchase of trees for an
orange orchard, is a prime factor in the future
success of the venture. The fully established
and generally well known reputation and reli-
ability of a nursery, are landmarks in the
journey for the selection of trees that should
not be overlooked.

The thrifty coadition of the trees is the first
item in which caution must be exercised. If
the trees are healthy, they will be vigorous,
and the foliage will be of a dark green color.
A tree suffering from bad treatment, always de-
clares the fact by its general appearance. Trees
for an orchard should be two to three years
from the bud or graft (one year is preferable to
five or six) with clean smooth stem and evenly
balanced head. Old dwarfed culls and scrubby
trees are dear at any price. Vigorous sy met-
rical trees of proper age should be selected at
any cost; it will pay to pay good prices for

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

good trees. Nurserymen who consider the
wants of their customers, cannot compete with
careless, irresponsible importers in the business.
Mr. Wiley of Pomona, says there is not a re-
liable nurseryman in the State of California,
but I think he is mistaken.

Plan of an Orchard.

Our orange orchard is planted not only for
ourselves, but for our posterity for many gen-
erations, hence it behooves us to use judgment
in planning and laying out so great and worthy
an enterprise. He who successfuly plants an
orchard of citrus trees leaves a grand herit-
age to his heirs; he is a benefactor to his race.
Do not plant too close; give your trees plenty
of room. My experience leads me to recom-
mend planting budded or grafted orange trees
twenty-four feet apart each way; seedlings
thirty by thirty feet apart; lemons, budded va-
rieties, twenty by twenty feet apart; limes the
same. I consider these distances ample
for the full development of the trees.
Plant the trees in straight lines. It pays
well to take time to stake an orchard so
the rows will be straight. If crooked and ir-
regular, with here and there a tree out of line,
it will be extremely disagreeable to the artistic
eye, besides being more difficult to cultivate.

Transplanting to Orchard.

Transplanting to orchard is generally con-
sidered simple and easy, and with few excep-
tions it is done in too much of a hurry. The
question is not as it should be, How shall I pro-
ceed to plant my trees in the best manner to
insure aquick and permanent growth, but, How
can I plant my trees in the least possible tirrte,
and with the least expense. He who follows
out this idea has at least ample time in which
to repent at his leisure, for his haste in throwing
his trees in a slovenly careless manner into the
soil. It is important to know what month is
best in which to transplant the trees, as to un-
derstand any other point in the business. I have
planted to nursery rows and to orchards many
hundreds of thousands of orange trees, having
planted in every month of the year. I think I
have perhaps had more practical experience in
this matter than any other person in this State
at least. If extreme care and caution be used,
even to the minutise, they can be transplanted
at any time with some degree of success. I
should have remarked that the orange tree is
one of the hardiest trees known: they will
survive very harsh and unhorticulturallike
treatment, they will withstand drought and
excess of water, they will live and make
a stunted growth with slovenly cultivation,
when what are called our hardy trees, under like
treatment, would die. At the same time the
whole order of the genus citrus responds most
gratefully to proper treatment. I have found
<hat May is the best month in which to trans-
plant; there is no danger of frost, the windy sea-
son is past, the ground is warm and the weather
is mild, being neither too hot nor too cold.
There is usually more cloudy weather in this
month in Southern California than in any other,
not excepting even the rainy season. Febru-
ary is my next choice. When trees are to be
moved long distances, for instance from the
nurseries of Southern California to the Northern
counties of the State, I prefer the month of
February, all things considered, in which to

move them. Occasional hbt spells occuir in May
in the Northern counties, and for this reason,
and this alone, February is preferable. June is
better than March, and July is better than
December or January. I have had less success
in the fall than at any other time. I would
rather plant in August than in Octobor or No-
vember.

The holes for the trees should be dug from
two and a half to three feet in diameter and the
same in depth. Throw the surface soil to one
side and the subsoil to the other, that the sur-
face soil may be put in the bottom of the hole,
where the trees shall be planted, and the sub-
soil above. Two methods of digging the trees
are generally practiced. First, to bag the roots
and second, to puddle the roots or cover with
grout after digging. The former method is the
safest, but the latter, when well and properly
done is the better. Great care must be taken
in handling orange trees; when planting, the
roots must not be exposed to the sun or wind;
the roots must not at any time from digging to
planting be allowed to get dry. The orange
tree being an evergreen, the fibrous or feeding
roots dry up surprisingly quick, and when once
dry, nothing can resuscitate them to their nor-
mal condition. When planting bagged trees do
not remove the bagging, but plant it with the
tree; it soon rots and does no harm. I recom-
mend cutting the limbs back severely at this
time, more than at any time before or after.
The condition of soil at the time of removing
the trees from nursery rows is very important..
It should be in good order, thoroughly damp,
in a good condition suited to the rapid growth
of the tree. An orange tree seldom lives if re-
moved from the nursery when the ground is
very dry. Probably more trees are lost from
this cause than from any other, though it may
not be generally known. In concluding this
part of this subject, a few words in reference to
the tap root may be of interest. It is my
opinion a tap root cut from 12 to 16 inches be-
Iqw the surface of the ground, is as good as if
cut at three feet or removed entire.

I know that when the tap root is cut at the
former depth, from two to five tap roots gener-
ally form instead of the one oiiginal root, and
strike out at different angles, thereby acting as
substantial braces to the trees and penetrating
the earth to a great depth. But save all the
lateral and fibrous roots as nearly intact as pos-
sible, and the loss of most of the tap root will
do no injury.

Cultivation.

It is of great importance to give close atten-
tion to the matter of cultivation; the soil must
be kept mellow and clean at all times. The
method of cultivation should be such as to
leave the surface of the soil as level as possible,
except in the fall at the approach of the rainy
season, when the ground should be plowed
with a turning plow, turning the soil to the
trees; leaving the trees on a slight elevation,
and causing the winter rains to be drawn
from the trees to the dead furrow in the center
of the spaces. The ground is comparatively
cold in winter, and it is detrimental to the
growth and health of the tree to allow water to
stand near the trees to injure the roots.

The orange tree will not flourish in this cli-
mate when the roots stand in soil filled with
water. Some implement that will pulverize the=

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

soil thoroughly and destroy the weeds
should be used. Cultivate close to, and
around the trunks of the trees, as well as
between the rows. Commence early in the
spring and keep the cultivator running all
summer; in the fall, as already stated, finish
with a turning plow, being careful to turn a
shallow furrow near the trunks of the trees, in-
creasing the depth as you approach the center
of the spaces. Deep plowing destroys the fi-
brous fruit-producing roots of orange trees, to
the great injury of the tree and the crop. In
the spring use a turning plow again, turning
the soil from the tree, leaving the soil level.
There is a difierence of opinion among horticul-
turists as to the depth to which an orange or-
chard should be plowed; some favor shallow
plowing, some deep plowing. I approve of, aiid
advise, shallow plowing, not to exceed two or
three inches in depth, near and adjoining the
trunk of the tree, and within a radius of
four feet from it, increasing the depth gradu-
ally from this point to the center of the spaces,
the greatest depth not to exceed six inches.
The general cultivation of the season should
not exceed four inches.

Crops in Orchard.

Do not under any circumstances, plant any
kind of crops in your orange orchard. If you
propose to plant ten acres in orchard, and can-
not make a living until the orchard commences
to return an income, then plant five acres to
orchard, and plant annual crops on the other
five acres. This is sutBcient on this point: look
around among your neighbors orchards and
note the condition of the orchards used an-
nually for various crops, and contrast their ap-
pearance and condition with the orchards used
and devoted entirely to the trees, and you will
be convinced that planting any kind of a crop
either cereal or vegetable, is a great injury to
the orchard.

Fertilizing.

The arable land of California is generally ex-
ceedingly rich and fertile. Two crops of or-
dinary products are often taken off annually for
a long series of years, without fertilizing and
without any apparent dimunition of yield.
Perhaps no country in the world responds more
promptly and faithfully to the demands of the
husbandman without fertilizing than the arable
lands of California. Large orchards are pro-
ducing abundantly without having received any
artificial fertilizers. However, I believe a gen-
erous coat of well composted manure annually,
will be a paying investment. Manure should
never be mixed with soil when filling up the
excavation*at the time of setting the tree. I
have tried this method to my regret; it increases
the heat to an unnatural degree, which requires
an unusual quantity of water to modify, and
damages the tree very much; spreading the
manure evenly on the surface of the ground
around the tree, to a distance equal to the
diameter of the top, is the proper method of ap-
plying it. The manure should be at once mixed
with the soil by cultivation. The best time to
apply the manure is in the fall, at the com-
mencement of the rainy season; then the rains
and subsequent irrigations carry the liquid
manure down to and among the roots of the
trees, where it is appropriated for the growth of
the trees.

Pruning an Orcliard.

Now we have arrived at one of the most im-
portant branches of the subject of orange- grow-
ing. At the last quarterly session of the Los
Angeles County Pomological Society, held at
the town of Pomona, it was warmly argued by
the president of the Pomona local pomological
society that pruning deciduous fruit trees was
entirely unnecessary, and a great horticultural
mistake. The same argument used in regard
to deciduous trees is applicable to citrus fruit
culture, on general principles. I think the
non-pruning theory, if adopted and practiced,
would soon ruin all our orchards and the repu-
tation of our fruit, both temperate climate and
semi-tropic. There is, however, much diver-
sity of opinion prevailing in this very impor-
tant branch of the science of horticulture, not
as to the fact as put by some that pruning is a
necessary evil and unavoidable, but in regard
to the particular method to be used. Various
methods are pursued, from that of allowing the
trees to branch at the ground and letting them
severely alone (which might very consistently
be called the Willey system), to that of prun-
ing them up and commencing to form the top
or crown at an unusual and undesirable hight.
The extremes of very little if any pruning, to a
continuous cutting and hacking, prevails to a
great degree. Perhaps so wide a difference of
opinion does not exist among our fruit growers
on any other branch of fruit culture. Novem-
ber, December or January is the proper season
for general pruning. Orange trees grow less
during these months than at any other time.
January is immediately prior to the season of
blooming. The annual pruning should be done
before the fruit forms. At all seasons of the
year all superfluous sprouts on the trunk and
stray branches that threaten to throw the tree
out of balance should be removed without de-
lay. A sharp knife should be used, and all
cuts made as smooth as possible. All cuts
made with a saw should be pared down smooth
with a sharp knife. When large limbs are re-
moved, the cut portion ought to be painted
with gum shellac in proper solution to spread
easily.

There are involved in pruning several princi-
ples, among which are the following : First,
the removal of the branches from the trunk of
the tree to admit of cultivation close to the
tree with a horse and cultivator. Second, the
removal of all limbs that cross or rub each other
or that grow too close together diverging from
one point. Third, thinning out the center of
the top of the tree, cutting out all new produc-
ing branches to admit an ample supply of air
and light. On the first proposition a wide
difference of opinion prevails. The advocates
of low pruning argue in favor of this method,
because it shades the trunk of the tree from the
direct rays of the sun, and that it shades the
ground preventing evaporation and hence less
irrigation. The advocates of high pruning are
no less enthusiastic in defense of their theory.
They argue it admits of better and more
thorough cultivation close to the trunk of the
tree as well as in the spaces between the trees,
and at less expense. They say the entire sur-
face of the soil should be stirred with the culti-
vator, not only to destroy weeds, but to pul-
verize the soil for the retention of moisture, and
that the direct rays of the sun should fall on
the whole area of the ground in the orchard. I

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

think the soil requires the warmth of the sun,
as well as cultivation, that the trees may receive
the full benefit of the moisture in the ground
and that the fruit may be fully developed;
nearly all kinds of plants, deprived of the un-
obscured light of the sun, make a pale, sickly
and unnatural growth. Plenty of sunwhine
with an ample supply of moisture, proper and
scientific pruning, and thorough cultivation, are
the prime requisites, to promote a quick-,
healthy and vigorous growth, and to cause us
to realize the full fruition of our hopes in the
size, quality and general excellence of the
product. I believe in high pruning, and recom-
mend it.

Before the trees are transplanted to orchard,
and while growing in the nursery, they should
be allowed plenty of limbs, which make them
develop a stocky trunk. Trees trained to long,
slim, branchless switches in nursery usually
have poor straggling roots. After planting to
orchard, raise them gradually by removing a
few of the lower limbs annually until the
requisite hight is attained.

I do not pretend to dictate or lay down an
infallible rule as to the best of the different
methods of pruning, but simply give my prefer-
ences from a practical standpoint, and their ad-
vantages as I see them, leaving the intelligent
pomologist to decide for himself.

Destructive Insects and Remedies.

Now, after all the information and instruc-
tions in the preceding part of this paper is
fully digested and assimilated, and the pomol-
ogist begins to feel he has a sure foundation
upon which to build a business, from which he
fondly hopes to derive an income to compen-
sate him for time, money and labor invested,
he is suddenly confronted by an enemy not
laid down in the program. I refer to injurious
scale. That you may know the present highly
magnified and overdrawn scale bug scare is at
present not new to me, at least, I will repeat
what I wrote in my book on "Orange Culture,"
heretofore referred to in 1880, and published in
1882. I then said, "A variety of scale bug
that is new to us has made its appearance
within a few years in some of our orchards, and
known as the 'red scale bug.' The appearance
of this insect is the advent of a real enemy to
successful orange-growing. As soon as it is
known it has obtained a foothold in an or-
chard, no time should be lost in destroying it
thoroughly and effectually. No half way meas-
ures will do, heroic and untiring energy must
be used to destroy it and prevent its spread-
ing over your own and adjacent orchards.
The white scale, a formidable enemy to the
orange tree, is somewhat prevalent at present.
It appears already to have made considerable
progress in our country. A year or two ago it
was known only in two or three orchards, but
it is now found in several places miles apart.
Colonies and neighborhoods cannot be too
cautious in using every possible means to pre-
vent its introduction. I do not consider its
presence fatal to the business, but i is an ex-
pensive and damaging evil that must be eradi-
cated from our country." These warnings are
as proper to-day as when written. I also
said at that time, "I have sometimes
thought it would be commendable and proper
if the directors of our horticultural societies
would bring this subject to the attention of our

Legislators. There might, and ought to be,
some legislation providing for the compulsory
eradication of this parasite from the orchards
of California."

There will always be some easy-going owners
of orchards who will be slow and slovenly in
their treatment of this scourge; this will, at
least, have a tendency to retain it among us
for a considerable time. I closed my chapter
on this subject with these words: "Watch
your trees closely and diligently and remove
every appearance of evil from your orchards —
which evil is the advent of the red and the
white scale-bugs." I refer the further consid-
eration of this subject to Dr. S. F. Chapin,
Chief State Insect Inspector, and to our worthy
County Scale Bug Commissioners, Messrs. Dob-
bins, Rice and McKinley; and I ask them if I
did not write in a prophetic manner in 1880,
and cast a horoscope that is now being realized
and understood in our S ate. In regard to
remedies for the extermination of the red and
white scale, I leave the matter with the honor-
able gentlemen mentioned above. In conclu-
sion I will speak of the

Best Varieties to Plant.

Five years ago I said I would plant, if
planting 1100 trees, in the following propor-
tions: Pour hundred Mediterranean Sweet;
400 Washington Navel; 150 Malta Blood, and
150 thin-skinned St. Michael. I have no rea-
son to alter or change the above proportions to
any great degree at present. I would not
plant seedlings trees under any circumstances
whatever. I would plant budded lemons only
of the best, well tried varieties.

THE FIG.

The following essay was prepared' by Dr.
Gustav Eisen, of Fresno, Cal. :

The growing and curing of Smyrna figs, or
rather of so called Smyrna figs has now for
years been a desideratum for California, but so
far very little has been done, and very
few efforts made which have resulted success-
fully. If this want of success has been the re-
sult of poor varieties or of insufficient knowl-
edge of the proper conditions of a successful cul-
ture, I leave to you to decide. We may not be
far out of the way if we suspect both.

The importance of successful fig culture can
hardly be overestimated for our State. In the
Mediterranean countries, where the climate is
very similar to our own, the fig crop is of the
very greatest eccnomical imoortance. Indeed in
Asia Minor and Arabia, the failure of this crop
is dreaded even more than the failure of the
cereals, as not only is the country at such times
deprived of its chief article of expojf, but the
failure of the fig crop means starvation for both
man and beast. Such failures are, however,
exceedingly rare. The figs generally known as
"Smyrna figs" do not all come from Smyrna, in
Asia Minor. But this port is the one from
which the largest portion of the fine figs are ex-
ported. While these figs are grown everywhere
in Asia Minor, the very choicest are restricted
to certain districts within easy reach of the
port of Smyrna. It is difficult to believe that
there should be so few localities adapted to the
production of the better brands of figs, and it is
far more rational to think that through the
ignorance and habits of the people the secrets
of the successful culture of the finest figs have

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS

been contined to certain localities, and that no
efforts have been made to distribute the proper
knowledge to other districts. No doubt jeal-
ously has been a powerful agency in confining
the knowledge of the culture and curing of the
finest figs to certan districts. To illustrate
this, I will relate an incident that hap-
pened to me in Central America. The chief
industry in that part of the country of which I
now speak, is the making of hats from the fibers
of a palm leaf. In one place there are two vil-
lages situated within three miles of each other,
and the inhabitants of both do nothing else than
manufacture hats. The palm leaves are not
grown in the vicinity in sufficient quantity,
though there is no reason why they could not
be grown there. A few thrifty trees bear wit-
ness of this. The people of both villages go to
Salama, 100 miles away, to get the leaves. The
idea never struck them that the leaves could be
grown at their very doors. Now in one village,
Monjon, they manufacture very superior hats,
which in the market bring 50 to 60 cents each.
Upon arriving at the next village, Tepic, I found
the men having jnst returned from a trip to the
capital, and that they had been obliged to dis-
pose of their hats at six cents apiece. Struck
by the enormous discrepancy in price, I asked
the natives why their neighbors got so much
more for their hats, when I was told that the
Monjon hats were very much better and that the
Tepic people did not know how to make as good
hnts. In my simplicity I asked the men : "You
say you have the same leaves ; now why don't
you learn to make as good hats ?" The answer
was: "Sir, we do not know how, and they do
not want to tell us."

The people in these semi-civilized countries
have evidently no conception of the way know-
ledge is distributed and exchanged in countries
like our own, where, with the aid of the press
and conventions, we have accomplished in a few
years what has taken centuries to achieve for
them.

Whence Come the Imported Pigs.

But to return to Smyrna. The very best figs
from there come to us from the valleys of the
rivers Meander and Cayster, and from the
localities known as Aidin, Nasli, Erbeyli, Sul-
tanhissar, Demirdjik, Ademish and Locoum.
But outside of these places in the immediate
vicinity of the export harbor — a location which
undoubtedly is highly favorable in a country,
where, until lately, the crop had to be carried
to the port on the backs of camels in sacks of
hair — some other localities in Asia export figs
of considerable • merit. Such places are
Aleppo, Mytilene, Tyre, Damascus, etc.

In Egypt no tigs seem to be produced for ex-
port, and naturally so from the condition and
character of its soil, the latter being principally
bottom land, which is always more or less un-
suitable to the production of a perfect tig. In
Greece, especially in the Grecian archipelago,
we meet with fine plantations of figs, with
partly the same, partly different varieties from
those grown in Asia Minor: such plantations
as those of Zante and Chios and Kalamata, but
the tigs from here are not equal in quality to
those from Smyrna; still their export from
the three places amounts to 10,000 tons a year.
The coast of the Adriatic produces some very
choice tigs, the tinest coming from Catanea and
from Sicily; but, in fact, the whole of Italy is

largely dependent upon its fig crop, and few,
if any, localities are found there in which the
tig tree is not grown. In Tuscany many figs
are raised and the variety here called Dottati is
considered superior for drying, though we be-
lieve they are principally destined for home
consumption, and not for export. The .south
coast of the Mediterranean produces also the
very choicest figs. In Algiers the fig culture
is not inconsiderable, and in Morocco some of
the very finest varieties are grown: according
to some reports, even superior to, or at least
equal to, those of Smyrna. But we have no
statistics of any being exported from there.
The varieties grown there are of many colors :
black, white, yellow and green, the latter being
considered the finest and the most profitable.

In Spain and Portugal we find fig culture
one of the prominent industries. In Sevilla
and Malaga many figs are grown and many are
exported. Malaga especially excels in fresh
tible figs and it is from this port that we get
the delicious St. Pedro and the Breba figs.

The southern part of Portugal, especially the
province of Algarve, was once the chief sup-
plier of the dried figs consumed by Northern
Europe. The port of Pharo was once as
famous for its export of figs as is now Smyrna,
but the fig trade from these ports has of
late years declined considerably. The export
port of Portugal is to-day chiefly Villa Nova
de Portimao, though, according to Dr.
Bleasdale, even from Lisbon no inconsiderable
quantities are exported. The province of Al-
garve is, as far as I can judge from descriptions
and from my principal informant. Dr. Bleas-
dale, very similar to Los Angeles county. The
low plains here and there traversed by low hills,
slope up towards the higher mountains inland,
presenting sandy slopes, cooled by the sea
breezes, but untouched by the fog of the im-
mediate coast. The southern part of France is
also adapted to fig culture, but the varieties
grown here are mostly different from those
of the more southern States, I have just men-
tioned, and originated in, and more adapted to
the country and climate in which they are
grown. The number of varieties originated in
France is simply astonishing; they can be
counted by the 100 or more. As far north as
Paris fig culture is practiced in the open ground,
but, of course, under the greatest difficulties,
caused by the inclemency of the weather and
the shortness of the summer. But, notwith-
standing this, says Du Breuil, the eminent
French authority, we have through the origina-
tion of ne"w varieties succeeded in producing
figs not inferior to those of the southern and
more favored countries. This, of course, only re-
fers to table tigs: not to those used for dry-
ing. In the south of France, especially around
Marseilles, the drying and curing of tigs has
reached considerable importance, but the figs
produced are in size and flavor decidedly in-
ferior to the Aidin figs.

Even north of Paris fig trees are occasionally
grown, but naturally more as a curiosity than
for any commercial value. Even in south of
England figs are grown on trellis and on walls
in favorable localities.

In leaving the eastern part of the world and
turning to our own, we find that figs are
grown in many of the southern States, or rather
everywhere where the nature of the climate
allows. The experience there has been of very

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

much the same nature as our own in California.
The fig tree grows well enough, but the varie-
ties have been poor, in many instances worth-
less. In Mexico and Central America many figs
are grown, both black and white of good qual-
ity, and especially in Lower California are some
plantations noted for their excellence. From a
gentleman who has been living in La Paz, I
learn that excellent white figs are grown there,
called Brebas, and that they, what seemed
to me incredible, are the second crop of
a variety the first crop of which is
blue or black. These figs are said to be very
delicious and highly valued. In the Central
American highlands is grown a probably native
variety of small, black fig, which, indeed, is
very fine as fresh or candied table figs, but for
drying of no value, or rather, of no value as an
export article in competition with white figs.
In those countries I have also seen enormously
large, wild fig trees, some 15 to 20 feet in di-
ameter at the root, and bearing very large,
luscious white figs, covered with drops of juice,
like white pearls, and looking exceedingly in-
viting and appetizing, but upon tasting them I
found that no more bitter and nauseous fruit
was ever tasted by man.

In California we have, as far as I knew, no
native fig, the Mission or California being, if
not originated from seed here, probably identi-
cal with some of the many black varieties in
Spain.

Soil and Climate.
f jThe statistics of soil, climate and other con-
ditions necessary for a successful fig culture are
so very meager and so very scattered, that the
task of bringing them together is not a very
thankful one, and the material thus collected is
by no means sufficient in any way to satisfy us.

In considering these climatic conditions and
soils, it is important to make a distinction be-
tween the cultivation of the fig for table use and
for drying. The conditions for the proper cul-
ture of table figs to be eaten fresh are far less
in number, and far less exacting than those for
the production of a perfect and superior dried
fig, destined to rival the imported article. I
believe there is hardly any place in the south-
ern States of this continent, which would not
produce a fair or good table fig, provided the
right variety suited to the locality is selected;
but in regard to drying figs we have to look
closer to conditions of climate and soil.

What strikes us then at the offset is the
great similarity of the whole interior of Cali-
fornia with the most favored localities of the
vicinity of Smyrna. The seasons are there di-
vided into two, just as here; one dry and one
wet. The winter rain commences in Novem-
ber and lasts until May. From May until Oc-
tober are the dry months, and with "few excep-
tions.no rains fall during the summer months,
thus promoting the ripening of the tig and the
drying of the same. Occasionally, however,
heavy rains injure the ripening figs, cause them
to crack and sour, and toughen the skin, and
causing the otherwise white color to turn a
more or less dark brown. Such seasons are by
no means unknown in even the best districts in
Asia Minor, and are the causes of the bad
years. Thus we see that the summer rains,
which here in California are so very unwelcome
to almost all of our crops, are similarly injuri-
ous in the fig districts of Asia Minor. In the
most favored spots of the Smyrna districts the

summer heat seldom exceeds 90° and 100° Fahr.
in the shade and 130° to 140° Fahr. in the sun,
and the freezing in winter is seldom more than
half a dozen degrees. A heavier frost, how-
ever, is not considered injurious, or in any way
influencing the quality of the fig crop.

The soil in Smyrna and vicinity is very vari-
able. It contains a fair percentage of lime and
potash, but is otherwise of various qualities.
The most luxuriant growth is obtained in a
deep rich soil, but the best figs are grown on a
soil which is made loose and porous by a fair
admixture of sand. A sandy loam is thus the
best, probably because the drainage is here the
most perfect. Such soils produce large .figs, of
a white, thin skin, of high flavor and great
sweetness.

In aspect the Meander valley resembles our
lowest foothills — small valleys, separated by low
ridges, during the dry season, as uninviting as
the foothills of the Sierra Nevada or the Sierra
Madre. Some of the fig orchards are planted
on hill land and some in the valleys, neither
locality having any decided advantage over the
O'her. The valleys and the plains generally
give thinnest skinned fruit, the skins of the
mountain figs being considered thicker. But in
rainy or foggy weather the mountains or hills
dry up the fastest: in this respect showing a de-
cided advantage over the low, perhaps swampy
plains.

In California we will probably find many lo-
calities likely to produce the finest figs. Our
experience is that the principal necessity is a
well-drained soil. The nature of the soil is less
important, provided that it is sufficiently sandy
to be loose and porous. Almost any soil that
we have can therefore be used for figs destined
for drying, except one, and that is the heavy
black adobe so common in many of our lower
valleys. I cannot sufficiently caution against
the planting of fig orchards in such soil; it is
the one of all which is by nature not destined
for the fig. As to which is the best soil for the
fig, only experience can tell. A sandy, reddish
or light soil is the one preferred in Smyrna; a
white clayey soil is the best for the fig tree at
Sidon. In Morocco and Tangier, where the
choicest varieties are grown, a light loam is con-
sidered superior; indeed, there the poorest soil
is preferred, but instead manure is used to in-
crease the size of the fruit, as well as the yield.

If we then recapitulate, we find that the fol-
lowing conditions are advantageous to fig
culture :

1. Abundance of moisture in the soil before
the figs begin to ripen.

2. Good and perfect drainage at any time.

3. The gradual drying of the soil when the
fruit is ripening.

4. Sufficient heat to insure sweetness in the

5. Absence of any frost lower than 18° Fahr,,
though the figs can stand a temperature as low
as 12° Fahr., if they are tolerably dormant.

6. Absence of heavy rains during the matur-
ing of the fruit.

Again the following conditions are injurious
to fig trees, if the object is to procure superior
fruit:

1 . A wet soil, with stagnant water during
the fruiting season.

2. Cesspools, sewers and ditches in so close
proximity to the trees that they can send roots
to them.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

3. Heavy rains on the fruit, when it is rip-
ening. Some of the finest varieties are then
apt to crack and sour.

4. Heavy rains and dews upon the fruit ex-
posed for drying.

5. And last, a heavy undrainable black adobe
soil, impervious to sun and air.

As to the favorable conditions I believe
they are all within our reach in this State; in-
deed, few are the localities which can not
command them.

Planting and Cultivation.

The horticulturists of California can, I be-
lieve, have but little to learn from the mode of
planting and cultivating in countries so back-
ward in these respects, as South of Europe.and
Asia Minor. But the very fact that in this
very home of the finest figs certain operations
are adopted which to us may seem highly ludi-
crous, or even injurious, should set us to think
that we do not know it all, and at least set us
to inquire as to the reasons for these peculiar
practices.

First, then, in the Aidin district the fig trees
are always set two in the same hole. What
would we think if we saw peaches and apples
planted two and two, immediately joining?
After the ground has been sufficiently plowed
and dug, holes are made in varying distances
of 25 to 30 feet, according to quality of soil, the
poorer soil requiring the lesser distance. In
these holes the fig trees are plowed in the month
of March one foot apart, and then joined at the
top, and here made to cross each other like the
letter X, a few inches above the ground. At
the junction of the trees they are tied to each
other and to a stake, so as to keep steady.
From Dr. Stillman, who has visited Smyrna, I
learned that both trees are allowed to grow and
develop into a tree, and the stems are wound
one around the other, like a trailing vine round
a pole. The object of this peculiar custom is
difficult to explain, as we know of nothing
analogous in our horticulture. I have, however,
thought the object sought is as much as possi-
ble to prevent self-fertilization, and to increase
hybridization by the pollen of another tree.
It may also be that the cuttings so planted are
taken from the parent trees at different times
of the year. This would have a tendency to
produce the different crops of figs at the same
time. As the first crop has more male flowers
than the latter crops, it would, for the
proper fertilization of the figs, be a great
advantage to have them both appear in
close proximity at one and the same time.
The first years the figs are irrigated by some
means or other, and first, when fully established,
are they considered able to reach the under-
ground moister strata. The land is plowed
several times a year and highly manured.
The latter is the more necessary, as small
crops, such as beans and corn, are grown
between the trees for several years,
or until the trees reach sufficient size to shade
the ground. In some orchards, however, the
trees are set much furtlier apart, or 66 feet
every way, and the intervening space is set in
olive trees or peaches. In Catania, in Sicily,
the figs are set 26 feet apart, without other
trees between, and the soil is plowed or dug
twice a year. Without this annual plowing
the figs are said to become small and inferior.
In Nice, in France, the figs are set 19^ feet or 6
meters apart.

The different varieties of figs attain their full
bearing capacity at different ages. But in
Smyrna a fig tree is considered to be in good
bearing at five years after planting, or at least
at that age they are considered to bear suffi-
ciently to pay well, the yield then being 150
pounds to the tree. From that time on the
tree is considered to increase in productiveness
for 20 to 30 years.

In regard to California, the distance between
the fig trees should vary with the variety. For
heavy growing varieties, such as the Adriatic
and the San Pedro, I would think 25 feet would
suffice; at least, that is the distance I have
adopted for my own trees.

lu setting out fig trees it is necessary not to
expose the roots to the drying winds or to sun-
shine. A few moments of each is sufficient to
injure the roots in such way that they will re-
quire several months to recuperate.

The irrigation of the fig is a question of great-
est importance. I have already shown that
trees on wet or swampy soil produce inferior
fruit, not fit for drying. In localities where ir-
rigation is necessary, the supply of water must
not be such that the soil is in any way made
swampy, or supplied with so much water that
it cannot be sufficiently drained in the fall. To
give any general rule is quite impossible. There
is hardly two localities in our State exactly
similar in regard to the dryness of the soil, and
accordingly each locality should be supplied
with water differently, if at all. If we again,
regardless of locality, should consider only the
fig tree proper and its growth, I would say that
the tree should have just moisture enough to be
kept at a healthy growth, and as such I con-
sider one that would produce branches of
from one and a half to two and a half feet
each season, and rather less than more. When
long sappy roots are produced it is always an
indication that there is too much water in the
soil. Such wood will produce watery figs, de-
ficient in flavor and sweetness, and flat and in-
sipid to the taste. Such figs are neither fit for
table nor for drying. It is especially during
the drying season the supply of water should be
limited, and I am satisfied that if the trees have
had all the water necessary during the spring
and early summer months, they will be much
the better off, by having no artificial irrigation
after the first of the month of August. But
this refers only to older bearing trees. Lately
planted trees may require water much later, in
localities where irrigation is necessary. Such
well matured wood is not likely to be injured
by frost, even in our most severe winters.

Of no less importance to a successful fig cul-
ture is the mode of pruning. Unlike most
fruit trees, fig trees should be but sparingly
pruned. Any wholesale topping and heading
back is decidedly injurious, and fig trees treated
thus will produce inferior fruit the following
season. I can not learn that any such heading
back is practiced in Smyrna or elsewhere where
fine figs are grown, and it certainly must be con-
sidered as highly favorable to the cultivator
that such pruning is not necessary.

In Smyrna the trees are first raised to the
hight of five or six feet, then cut square off
and allowed to branch out. For California I
advocate to branch the fig trees very low. My
plan is to sucker and pull off the sprouts
the first year, but afterwards allow the
tree to branch freely low down from the main

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

stem above ground, only keeping the real root-
suckers away. In this way a goblet-shaped
tree is produced with a solid main trunk not
liable to split. The branches are sufficiently
near the ground to allow the majority of the figs
to be pulled by hand without the necessity to
use a ladder, or without the inconvenience to
climb the tree. In this way, also, the ground
is kept cool and shaded, and not heated by the
hot winds. The temperature of the fruit is
thus kept more uniform, which, of course, is of
the greatest importance. As regards after-
pruning, it will only be necessary to from year
to year cut out the dead wood and crossing and
superfluous branches— to thin out, but not to
cut back, except in an emergency. Such fig
trees will be very different from those now
generally seen. They will be trees grown for
thair fruit, but not for their shade ,

Crops and Their Treatment.

All cultivated varieties of figs have three
crops of figs, inore or less distinct. The first of
these crops are figs which were set already in
the fall of the year previous, upon shoots formed
in July and August. These figs are, except in
a few varieties, of no value. They are larger,
as a rule, than the later crop of figs, but not
equal in flavor or sweetness. The French call
these figs fig ^lem-es, meaning fig flowers.
Through some documents kindly placed in my
hands by Mr. Nelmes, of Pasadena, and also
from the highly interesting work on the fig by
Count Solms-Laubach. I find that in Smyrna
such first-crop tigs are called Boccore. In Italy
they are called mamme or fiore di fico; in
Spanish, Breba. It would, however, be unjust
to condemn all first-crop figs. The French grow
for table use certain varieties of figs which pro-
duce good first-crop figs or fig fleures, which are
there used for table only. On such varieties the
later crops are generally of indifferent quality.
This first crop is generally ripe in May and June.
The second crop of figs is the principal one, and
in drying fig the only one of any value. These
figs are developed the same year as they ripen,
and are found at the inner base of every leaf,
while the first crop is found scattered on the
branches and in places where there was a leaf
the previous year. In Smyrna this crop only is
used for drying figs, and is there called Kar-
mouse and Kermez. In Italy this crop is called
profichi. This crop begins to mature there in
the end of July, but the majority ripens in the
middle of August. The crop lasts generally six
weeks. The third crop may be considered as
the tail of the second crop, and if the weather
is favorable it will keep on ripening until frost.
The figs of this the last crop are, in Italy, called
mammoni.

Here in Fresno I find the first Adriatic figs
ripen in August, but the bulk of the crop will
ripen in end of August and beginning of Sep-
tember, yet superior figs will keep on ripening
until October is well advanced. When the figs
are ripe, or sufficiently ripe to be dried and
cured, they in some varieties drop to the
ground, but in others again hang on to the tree
and must be cut ofi'. When this time arrives
in Smyrna the figs are picked and put one by
one, without touching each other, on mat-
ting, or even on the ground covered with cut
grass or straw. The figs are on this exposed to
the sun for 10 to 12 days or less, according to
the weather. To begin with they are turned '

every day, so as to be equally exposed to sun
and air, and if dew is expected they are covered
over with matting during the night time.
What is needed during the drying season
is not an excessive heat, but steady sunshine
and dry winds. It seems to me that here in
California we could satisfy the most exacting
Turkish demands in this respect. When the
figs are sufficiently dry, the skin feels dry, but
the inside should yet be perfectly soft and pli-
able. The ripe and sufficiently cured figs are
now picked out, and the others left to remain
until ready. It will thus be seen that the figs
are not dried haphazard on roofs or the ground
and then dumped into boxes and shipped.
This I have known to be the general practice in
California, and still we wonder why our figs
are not any better. When the figs in Smyrna
are dried sufficiently, they are by the fig-
raisers assorted in three different sizes, then
sacked in sacks made of camel's-hair — barley
sacks would, on account of the fuzz, not do —
and then sent into Smyrna. The merchant
who has furnished the fig-raiser with his year's
supply takes the crop out of his hands. The
figs are now again assorted and are then ready
to be packed.

In Portugal they have either a diff'erent va-
riety of fig or the climate is more favorable, as
the figs there dry sufficiently in five tosixdays.
It may, however, be that some years are more
favorable than others, and I am rather inclined
to think this to be the cause of the shorter time
assigned to the drying in Portugal, Last year
I dried some Adriatic figs in five days suffi-
ciently, but this year, which in every respect has
been an unfavorable one, it needed 10 to 12
days to dry the same variety.

In Portugal the figs are dried on mats made
of the esparto weed —stipa tenacissima — which
is now growing in this State. When the figs
are sufficiently dried they are stored in bulk for
five to six weeks, probably to undergo a sweat-
ing process, or at least to have the moisture
equalized.

In France, where fig culture is carried on
only under great difficulties, some proceedings
are adopted to hasten the ripening of the fig,
which I here will mention more as a curiosity
than for any necessity in imitating them. My
own experience is that none of the varieties
which I have seen so far need the manipulation
practiced by the French, so as to accomplish
what nature, unaided, does for us:

1. Shortly before the fruit is expected to
set, the terminal buds of each branch are nipped
oflf or suppressed; this prevents further ter-
minal growth and throws the force of the sap
into the lateral leaves or fruit-buds.

2. When the figs have begun setting, all the
pushing, lateral leaf-buds are also suppressed
except two at the base of each fruit branch.
These two buds are allowed to grow to serve as
fruit-bearing branches for another year. The
leaves at the base of each bud are, however,
not disturbed, as they serve to draw the sap
and furnish the developing figs with sufficient
nourishment.

3. Less than two weeks before the expected
maturity of the fig, and when the eye of the tig
begins to color, a drop of pure olive oil is de-
posited on the eye of the fig. This operation
is always performed in the evening, shortly be-
fore sunset. The next day the fig, which was
green and hard, shows softening and change of

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

color, and the maturity of the fig is henceforth
advanced eight days. This process is used
only for table figs, but is not considered profit-
able for figs destined to be dried.

In some districts again a goosequill dipped in
oil is inserted in the eye of the fig. Again, in
others, the eye is simply punctured with a
needle dipped in oil. In speculating upon the
possible effect of this dipping and oiling, it may
be of interest to remember the effect the boring
of the larvce of the codlin moth has upon the
apple and the pear, or the sting of insects gen-
erally upon fruit, it causes them to ripen pre-
maturely, evidently through the greater influx
of sap, in the effort of the fruit to heal the
wound. The few notices we have of fig drying
in France are scanty enough, our only authority
being Du Breuil, and the few remarks upon this
subject which I am able to make, are princi-
pally copied from him.

The figs are packed after all the dew is evap-
orated by the sun, placed on small trays made
of reeds, and then exposed to the sun. Every
evening these trays are either removed under
shelter or covered over with cloths, etc., so to
exclude dew or rain. Every morning and noon
again the figs are turned in order to equally ex-
pose every side to the sun. The figs are suffi-
ciently dried -as soon as upon being flattened
out toward the stalk they do not crack or
break. If left later they will be too hard and
spoil. In certain localities the figs are only
picked when they begin to shrivel; they are
then dried in the sun for two days and after-
wards packed in sweat-boxes and let remain
there for seven or eight days, and afterwards
again dried in the sun. In rainy seasons the
figs are dried in machine driers or evaporators,
but there is some doubt of these figs being equal
to sun-dried ones. In this respect different va-
rieties of figs, no doubt, require entirely differ-
ent treatment.

In packing, Smyrna excels both Portugal and
Spain. We all admire the way the Smyrna figs
are packed — it is the very perfection, and I be-
lieve cannot be improved upon. When the
dried figs reach the packing houses, they are,
as I said, again assorted by women, and then
packed by men. While packing, the hands of
the packers are constantly kept moist by sea
water, which prevents the sugar sticking to the
hands. There are two ways of packing: In
the first the figs are flattened out in such a way
that the eye of the fruit is placed very nearly
in the center, and the stem very nearly opposite
the same. The figs are now packed in layers
in boxes, in such a way that the front margin
of every fig just sufficiently covers the stalk end
of the fig next in front. The figs are packed in
straight rows the same in the bottom, middle
and on top. To keep every row separate, and
to prevent one row overlapping the other, I am
satisfied that they use a small frame of iron, with
partitions running longitudinally and vertically.
The figs must first be packed in this frame and
slightly pressed. The frame is now withdrawn
from the box, and a heavy pressure is applied,
which causes the surface to flatten out and be-
come smooth.

The second way the Smyrna figs are prepared
is this: Instead of being pulled or flattened out
the fig is compressed sideways until it assumes
the shape of a small bag or cube or die. Upon
opening a box of such figs the surface resembles
a checkboard, every square being a fig. I have

no doubt but that in this mode of packing an
appliance is used somewhat similar to the par-
titions in our common egg boxes, where each
egg lies in its own square department. When
all the figs are in position this partition is with-
drawn and the figs are slightly pressed. These
square figs are never pressed as heavily as the
other kind.

The size of package used for the Smyrna fig»
has of late gradually decreased. The largest
now containing 30 and 60 pounds. But smaller
packages, as being much more handy, have be-
come more common, and five and two and a
half pound boxes are now sold most extensively.
The smallest of all is undoubtedly the quarter-
pound, oblong box, with one good fig on
the top and with a few bad ones below, which
are offered us by the railway boys. No uni-
form size is used, and it seems that different
brands are packed in different sizes, according
to the size of the figs, which always in the flat-
tened varieties are spread out to the best ad-
vantage. The larger the fig, the more valued is
the brand. The pulled and flattened figs are
by the Turks called the Eleme.

But this word is not always marked on the
box, two and three Crown London layers being
a common brand for the better figs. Inferior
brands are packed in drums, with less expense
and less careful manipulation, but also with less
pretentions. Of the other packing of figs, those
bag or die shaped ones, the finest brands
I have seen were the Erbelli or Erbeyli and the
Loucoum figs, especially the latter. Both Er-
belli and Loucoum are the names of localities in
the fig districts of Smyrna, and from examina-
tion of those figs I am confident they are of a
different variety. They seem to me different
both in shape, color and flavor.

The Portuguese figs are inferiorly packed in
so called mats made of esparto weed. The
best of those figs is the Fico da Comadre, evi-
dently an entirely different variety from the
Smyrna figs. The next best are the Pharo figs^
taking their name from the port of Pharo, from
which they are exported.

Drying in California.
In drying the figs which I have exhibited
here to-day, I endeavored to follow the Smyrna
way as much as possible. While we evidently
have yet much to learn in regard to the drying,
and manipulating the tigs after they are dried,
I still believe that we are a good way on the
right track, and it will be for you to decide if
my suppositions are correct. The variety ex-
hibited at this horticultural meeting is the
Adriatic, not only the best, but the only,
which I have, so far, found suitable for drying
for commercial purposes.

When the figs began to wilt and to show
small white seams they were cut from the trees
by means of scissors or knife, then carefAlIy
placed on trays similar to the raisin trays, I
believe a further great improvement would be
to nail laths across the bottom of the tray in
such a way that they would form longitudinal
ribs on the bottom, just the thickness of the
lath, cr about one-eight inch. By placing the
figs with the eye elevated on the rib the sugary
contents are prevented from leaking out, which
else may happen quite frequently. The figs are
now placed in the sun to dry. They were
turned every day to begin with by hand, but
when more dry, in the same way we as turn
the raisin trays. Every night the trays were

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

covered over, and for this purpose it is best to
have all the trays on one place, and not scat-
tered around, as is the custom veith raisin trays.
The figs are sufficiently dried when they show
the same dryness in the morning as in the even-
ing. This is a point of great importance. If
not sufficiently dried, they will afterwards pufiF
up and spoil, as if they were in a state of fer-
mentation. In the evening the figs may seem
to be sufficiently dried, but in the morning they
will be found slightly swollen and puffed. They
must then be dried more. It is, however, a
great danger to overdry the figs. Such figs
will get a cooked and earthy taste, which after-
wards will never leave them, and which will in-
jure them or spoil their value entirely. It took
from five to twelve days to dry the figs, accord-
ing to the weather. When dry they may be
dumped in sweat boxes for a few days, but the
better way is to dip and pack right away. Now
prepare a kettle or tub with boiling water, in
which put enough of common unrefined rock
salt, such as is used for cattle; table salt will
not do. I believe the more unrefined is the salt
the better. Sea water may be preferable. The
latter and the rock salt contain substances
which preserve the moisture of the figs and
keep them pliable.

About three big handfuls of rock salt to one
gallon of water is enough. When the salt is
dissolved and the water is again boiling, im-
merse the figs for two seconds; immediately af-
terward thumb the figs, and work the eye of
the fig downward and the stalk end upward; in
fact, imitate the appearance of the imported
Smyrna fig. This process is necessary. First,
it distributes the thicker skin around the eye
of the fig evenly, and in eating we thus get
equal parts of tha thicker skin and equal parts
of the thinner skin. Secondly, it places the
fine skin of the stalk end all on top, and when
the figs are packed and pressed they present a
beautiful smooth surface. I believe the dip-
ping of the figs in boiling salt-water may be dis-
pensed with if the figs are sufficiently pliable
without it. But it is absolutely indispensable
to dip the figs in salt-water, and during the
thumbing of the figs the hands of the packer
must be constantly moistened by salt-water or
the sugar will stick to the finger and make the
operation almost impossible. After having
been dipped in the brin^ the figs taste at first
exceedingly salt, all the salt being on the sur-
face; but after a few days the salt works into the
fig and gives the fig a peculiar appetizing taste,
counteracting the excessive sweetness, which
else would be too predominant. I have
examined the best Smyrna figs microsco-
pically, and I find that the white
floury substance, which on old figs covers their
surface, is entirely due to uncrystallized grape
sugar, sweated out from the fig, and to small
crystals of rock salt. I believe that in Smyrna
when the box is packed, and before it is pressed,
the whole box is immersed in salt-brine, so that
the latter will fill all the pores and crevices be-
tween the figs, and thus kill any possible insect
eggs and germs of fungoids or bacteria de-
posited on the figs, which afterwards would
cause them to become wormy and spoil. In
opening fig boxes I have often found the sides
covered with the white incrustations of salt.

The heavy pressing of the figs, which is al-
ways so strong that it causes them to burst at
1;he stalk end, is much objected to by the con-

sumers, as it evidently defaces the figs. But
nevertheless, this compression is absolutely
necessary. It prevents insects from entering
between the figs, and it prevents the air to en-
ter and thus dry out the figs. Observation and
practice has shown me this to be the case.

As my own crop this year has not been suf-
ficient to place the same on the wholesale mar-
ket, I have not pressed them as much as they
otherwise should have been pressed, and my
object was to keep the figs more intact,

As guide, however, to those who now enter
upon the fig culture, I will here state what I
consider necessary appliances- for packing figs.
Thus, four things are necessary:

1. One box ot wood to hold the figs.

2. An iron frame or box with bottom just
large enough to slip outside of the fig box and
hold it tightly.

3. An iron frame without bottom or top to
fit snugly inside the fig box. This iron frame
has two or three partitions inside, also of
galvanized iron, I'unning parallel to two oppo-
site sides of the fig box. This iron frame with
its partitions can be roughly compared to a
brick mold made for three or four bricks at a
time. In packing Erbelli or Loucoum figs this
iron mold should also have cross partitions and
the whole then would resemble the partition
used in our common egg boxes, only instead of
holding eggs our mold would hold figs.

4. A press. The procedure of packing is
now as follows: First insert the mold just
described in the wooden fig box. This box will
now be found divided by the partitions of the
mold in as many chambers, but open from the
top. Pack the figs in each longitudinal chamber
in the way Smyrna figs are packed. When
done press lightly. Now withdraw the frame
by pulling it up. Insert the fig box in the
first described frame and subject it to gradually
increasing pressure.

I believe a press similar to what is
now used by the Fresno and Los An-
geles raisin packers would be the best
for this purpose. This press is worked by
levers, and can keep four or more boxes under
pressure as long a time as required. When suffi-
ciently pressed withdraw the fig box from the
iron frame and nail on the cover. The figs are
now ready for shipment. In case my
description should not have been sufficiently
clear, I may state that the iron frame, which
slips outside the box is simply to prevent the
fig box bursting open, when subjected to pres-
sure. The frame, again, which goes inside only
serves to keep the figs in rows and separate the
rows. Without this it is impossible to prevent
the figs overlapping, which very much de-
tracts from their appearance.

Capriflcation.

I have so far not touched upon the practice
indulged in in the countries round the Mediter-
ranean, and there known as capriflcation. Be-
fore I enter further upon this most interesting
subject, I will state as my opinion, founded
upon my experience here, that, at least with
the Adriatic fig, the capriflcation is not neces-
sary, as this fig bears abundant and well-
matured crops without the same. The caprifi-
cation has been practiced by the Mediterranean
fig-growers for 2000 years or more, or as long
as any historical record can be traced back.
The Roman naturalist, Pliny, who lived 1800

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

The Roman naturalist, Pliny, who lived 1800
years ago, described the same minutely, and,
as in his time, the same modus ojnrandi is
practiced to-day. After him it has been seen
and described by most travelers scientifically
and otherwise. The following, in short, is the
way the operation is performed: When the
figs to be used for drying are of the size of a
hazel nut, generally in the middle of June, wild
figs of a variety called the Capri fig are gath-
ered. Five or six of these are .strung on a
string, and this again is hung or thrown over
the cultivated fig tree. As the tree is increas-
ing in size from year to year, more strings with
figs are hung on the tree, but more than six
strings, with altogether about 30 wild or Capri
figs, are never hung on the larges''' tree at one
and the same time. The figs are hung on the
trees about one hour before sunrise, when the
weather is fine, and no wind blowing. If too
many figs are hung on the tree, it is said the
figs will either fall off or become inferior. The
same operation is repeated wi h the second crop
figs. What effect has, then, this caprification
on the fruit of the cultivated figs? This is a
question which has been asked repeatedly, bat
though some very prominent scientific observ-
ers have investigated the subject, the same is
not yet to this day fully explained. Some very
interesting facts are, however, known, and
these are of sufficient importance to be here
considered. The fig itself is something more
than a seed vessel of a flower. The fleshy part
is a thickened, hollow receptacle, closed, except
at the very narrow opening called the eye, situ-
ated at the top of the fig. This receptacle on
its inner side contains numerous minute flow-
ers, crowded together and covering the whole
of the surface of the cavity. These flowers are
male and female, or staminate and pistillate.
The female flowers occupy by far the lar^^est
room, and all the lower part of the cavity. The
male flowers, again, the more or less narrow
zone, immediately surrounding the eye of the
fig. In the cultivated or edible fig the male
flowers are generally wanting or rather replaced
by barren scale-like leaflets. In the different
crops, the proportion between the male and
female flowers is quite different. The figs of the
first crop, or the bocorre are those which carry
the most male flowers. The second crop, or
the "karmouse," carry few, and the third or
last crop carry none but female flowers. As I
said, except in the wild or Capri fig, the male
flowers are seldom developed. In the figs
grown in California, and which I have had op-
portunity to investigate, the male flowers were
always replaced by scales; this has also been
previously found to be the case in Italy, and
Professor Arcangeli states that according to his
own observations the two most generally culti-
vated figs around Pisa, the Fico verdino and the
Fico piombi/iese, never have any perfect seeds
developed, while the Fico blancolino, which is
considered a semi-wild species, has, among
numerous imperfect seeds, some which are
easily germinated.

As an aid for those who are no botanists to
distinguish between good and barren fig seeds, I
will mention that if thrown in water the good
ones will sink, but the barren or not fertile ones
will float on top of the surface. If crushed the
fertile one will be found to contain an almond-
like kernel. The barren ones will again be seen
to be only empty shells, but of the same size

and of nearly the same color as the good seed.
From a prominent botanist in San Francisco I
learn, however, that both California and Austra-
lian figs occasionally have developed male
flowers, but they always develop much later
than the female flowers of the same fig and thus
never can serve to fertilize those of the same
fig, but only those of other figs. This fertiliza-
tion, if it takes place, must therefore be made
by the aid of insects. The part that these take
in causing the maturing of certain figs was al-
ready observed by the ancients. They found
that a small, yes very minute, wasp infested the
wild or Capri fig, and that when transferred to
the cultivated figs they prevented the same
from falling off, or at least hastened their ripen-
ing.

To understand this better we will describe
the Capri fig. This fig contains no saccharine
matter, is of much smaller size, and when
reaching maturity it dries up and falls ofi". It
produces three crops. The ^rst crop, which
hangs through winter and ripens in April, is
called in Italy mamme (by the ancient Romans
cratitires). This crop is followed in June by
the second crop, or what is called the prqfichi
(ancient orni), and lastly the September, the
third, crop is called the mammoni (ancient
fornitis). If we now closely examine the second
crop, or the profichi, when fully ripe, we see
here and there a black winged insect emerging
from the orifice or eye at the top; its hairy
body is dusted over with pollen grains from the
male flowers, adhering to the hair when the
insect crawled through the narrow male flower
zone. And if we cut open one of those figs, we
find inside a considerable number of similar in-
sects, all striving to get out.

These insects, named already by Linnasus
Cynips psenes, are partly winged, partly wing-
less. The former, or winged ones, are females,
the other, wingless, males. The winged females
as soon as they leave profichi or second crop,
visit the last or third crop, the mammoni, and
deposit eggs in their female flowers. Similarly
the winged females that develop in this crop, or
mammoni, visit the yet young figs of the first
crop, or the mamme, and deposit eggs in them.
If now these .Capri figs are hung in among the
branches of the cultivated fig, the insects crawl
out of the Capri figs and into the cultivated figs
in mistake. Because, while the females with
impunity can deposit their eggs in the Capri
figs, they are ensnared into the cultivated figs
by the sweet honey-like contents, and die in
the attempt to reach the ovary of the flower.
The eggs of the Cynips are not deposited
loosely on the female flowers, but by the
aid of the tube or ovipositor inserted between
the branches of the flower stigma into the
integuments of the ovule of the female
flower, else the Cynips^ eggs are said not
to develop. The fertility of these Cynips is
astonishing and a few of them is sufficient to
pierce all the female flowers of a fig. This
piercing of the flowers causes a kind of gall
formation, which, while it does not prevent the
development of the seed, causes the same and
the whole fig receptacle to r"ipen prematurely.
Perhaps in the same way as the wounds caused
by the larvas of the codlin moth hasten the
ripening of the apple. That the caprification
is practiced in Smyrna and in all the Mediter-
ranean countries as well as in Portugal is aa
established fact. The wild fig or Capri fig is

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

in Portugal called Figo do Toca or Chocho.
That the fig flowers can not be fertilized but
from the pollen of the male flowers from other
figs is fully established; be these flowers the
male flowers of the cultivated figs or those of
the Capri fig.

In the very choicest Smyrna figs, however, I
have found numerous fertile seeds, but also
many ones empty. If these good seeds are
"hybridized by the pollen of the Capri fig, they
certainly will not produce figs equal to those
the seeds were taken from, but rather hybrids
between the edible and the Capri fig. I have
from the choicest Eleme, Erbeyli and others
raised several thousand seedlings, and the
future will tell me if they produce hybrid fruit
or not. Some botanists have advanced to me
the theory that through long cultivation the
highly cultivated figs similarly to the ba-
nana and the seedless grape and the melon
shrub, have become entirely barren and both the
female and male flowers lost their original
functions. This,' however, is contradicted
through the seedlings I raised from these the
finest figs.

In regard to the advisibility of importing the
Cynips or insect that fertilizes the figs, I am
told by a prominent entomologist of San Fran-
cisco that numerous other insects also visit the
figs, and that we here in California have several
varieties of insects which, so to say, would only
be too happy to invest in our figs, provided we
only are mutually accommodating to fui'nish
them with the Capri fig.

To sum up my ideas of the caprification: I
believe that the same is not practiced solely for
the purpose of fertilizing the cultivated figs or
prevent them from falling off, as we have
proved that we, without this process, here in
California produce as fine, and perhaps larger,
crops — but also, and perhaps principally to
hasten the development of the figs, perhaps for
the purpose of getting them dried and mar-
keted before the rainy season commences. If
this should be so, then the caprification should
correspond with the methods usjed by the
French — the oiling and puncturing methods de-
scribed above, which we know are solely prac-
ticed to hasten the maturity of the fruit.

Forests and Fruit Growers.

The following essay was read by Abbot Kin-
ney, of Kinneloa, San Gabriel:

Forests are most important to the welfare of
the human family. Their beneficial action may
be regarded under three heads. First — There
is the sentimental one, in which we regard the
forest from its beautiful side. Second — There
is its productive capacity. Third — Its influence
on climate and humidity and therefore on
agriculture and on health.

The solitude and quietness of the forest have
always had their charms and delights for man-
kind. Its repose is tempered by the gentle
movement of the rustling leaves.

The tall straight stems and the beautiful
lines of the trees lead the mind insensibly to
the contemplation of truth and of grand things.
So we find the first assembly places of men to
worship God were under trees. Our own an-
cestors under the Druids had their re-
ligious ceremonies in groves of spreading oaks.
The wood has been congenial as well to science
as to religion. Plato gave the world his
thought from a grove.

This was the custom generally of the Greek
philosophers, and their name for a grove,
"academy," has been added to our lan-
guage, meaning an educational institution.
Great men have almost always loved the for-
est, and have retired to its sheltered glades for
rest and thought. Not only is this true of
heroes of the past, but the leading men of our
own day show the same leaning. Gladstone, in
England, seeks the grove for his leisure hour,
and in our own country the President has but
recently returned from the Adirondack woods.

He who cares nothing for the forest, who has
no love for any tree, has such a perverted na-
ture as to be unfitted for sympathizing with
human thought and action, and therefore of
controling human destinies.

Thex-e is a business side too in the beautiful
view of the forest. The public parks are but
imitations of the natural woodland glade — no
city in our country from New York with its
Central to San Francisco with its Golden Gate
Park, but enjoys and prizes above any other
public ground these miniature forests and none
but derive health and ad%'antage through them
to their people. Some of the largest parks in
the country, as the Yellowstone National Park,
the Yosemite Valley, etc., are mainly dependent
for their attractions on the preservation of the
forests in their native state. Such parks are of
great value to communities : giving health and
pleasure to those who avail themselves of their
privileges and attracting travelers from distant
lands, who make work and business wherever
they go. The protection of the Yosemite Valley
in this State has brought thousands on thous-
ands of tourists to our borders, andhas added ma-
terially to the prosperity, first of those minister-
ing directly to their wants, and through them to
the whole community. Such a reservation on
the second Sierra Madre range in this county,
where beautiful scenery of mountain and forest
now exist would surely be of benefit in the way
of advertising the locality and attracting stran-
gers to our community, and also providing a
public resort for our own people. The forest
from its productive side is of still more import-
ance.

What trade or business is there into which wood
does not enter directly or indirectly ? Wood is
used from the farmer's plow handle to the bank-
er's desk, from the pew and pulpit of the church
to the gallows where the criminal disappears from
society, from the gallant ship that sails the sea to
the little skiff of the fisherman. In this country
our houses, churches, and schools are largely
built of wood, and always furnished with it. In
fact, everything from the railroad car running
on express speed to the boy's top are dependent
on this material for existence. Even coal, its
substitute as fuel, is only a preserved and solidi-.
fied form of wood, mined by picks with wooden
handles, taken" up with wooden -handled shovels,
run out on wooden cars, and taken to market in
wooden wagons, canal boats or other vessels.

As might be expected, when we think on all
the uses of wood, the annual consumption of
this material is greater than that of any other
in the country, having been, according to the
last census, $700,000,000 (seven hundred million
dollars).

Prof. Eggleston estimates the products of for-
ests for last year at $800,000,000. This is con-
siderably greater than corn, our largest agri-
cultural crop, is over double our wheat crop,

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

and more than the combined value of the crops
of hay, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, potatoes
and tobacco. It is 10 times the value of the
products of all this country's mines of precious
metals. The capital invested in the lumbering
business alone now is over $200,000,000.

The wood used for domestic purposes, accord-
ing to the census of 1880, was valued at $321,-
962,729.

The supply of railroad ties for one year has
required the cutting of a forest area as large as
the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
As these ties require renewing about every
seven years, this necessitates more than 56,-
000,000 ties a year, or the timber growing on
more than 560,000 acres; so allowing 30 years
for the growth of such timber, there would be
required an area about the size of New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut to pro-
duce this amount annually and regularly.

That is, dividing such an area into 30 parts
would give the ties needed for each year on
one of the parts, and when the last lot had
been cut the first would again be ready.

The timber now standing in the United
States will not, at the present rate of consump-
tion, for all purposes, furnish a supply
for over 20 years. I regret that this time
and place will not allow me to give Prof.
Sirgent's exhaustive figures proving this
to be the fact. We should not think that
California is safe from so near a wood fam-
ine. Only a few weeks ago some Eastern lum-
bermen came from their exhausted fields and
located themselves in the Sierra Nevadas, and
intend to put $3,000,000 into the business.
With the destruction of Eastern forests such
items of news will be very common, and our
timber must be swept out of existence into the
Eastern market. The annual forest production
is greater than that of anything else in this
country. It seems clear that the preservation
of this productive capacity is highly import-
ant.

There is no trade or industry that will not be
materially and unfavorably effected by a fall-
ing off in the supply of. lumber and wood, un-
less we except those industries that would at a
greatly enhanced cost supply a substitute for it,
as by making iron hoe- handles and the like.
The materials of the carpenter, the pegs of the
shoemaker, the wheel of the wagon-maker, the
domestic fuel of the countryman and a thou-
sand things will become scarcer and dearer as
the forests disappear. Many trades will go
with the trees — the cheap and healthy wooden
house we shall hnow no more.

To preserve some reasonable evenness be-
tween the supply and the demand of wood, the
forests must be guarded against improvident
working, the renewing power of the trees must
be maintained, and, most of all, the grosswaste
and wanton destruction of the forests by ani-
mals and fire must be stopped. Those espe-
cially interested in wood and lumber products,
and those dependent on this supply, should be
the first to exert themselves to bring about
these results, otherwise such persons as carpen-
ters and all wood -workers will before long be
without an occupation.

The lumbermen can do a great deal in this
direction. * * * * *

The Canadian Government now controls the
working of all government timber land and
charges a price for the privilege, usually based

on the stumps of the trees cut. Waste and
destruction are by law prevented, fire being
guarded against by obliging the lumbermen to
clear up as they cut, that is to use or make safe
disposition of the branches and refuse wood.
Nearly every fire in the woods burns up more
or less lumber and cord-wood and thus injures
those who derive their support from the forest
aa well as the forests themselves. Mr. Little,
a practical lumberman from Montreal, speaking
in the Forestry Convention held in Boston dur-
ing September 1885 said, "that an experience
of 50 years convinced him that the lumbermen
were the most to blame for forest fires and lost
more than others by them. The reason why so
much was lost by fire was the way in which the
lumbermen cut the wood and left the branches.
He believed that it would pay the lumbermen
to be more careful in their management of camp
fires, in 1880, the cut of lumber was 18,000,-
000,000 feet; last year it was 28,000,000,000
feet, a very rapid increase. In 1880, there were
marketed about 146,000,000 cords of wood and
74,000,000 bushels of charcoal. This would
clear in a year 30,000,000 acres of forest, an
area about the size of New York State. Hewn
timber posts, telegraph poles, etc., demand
much wood. Ten million (10,000,000) acres of
forest were either altogether destroyed or
seriously injured in 1880 by fire. In all, there
is an annual drain on the forests of over 50,000,-
000 of acres.

The waste is the most painful part of this
whole business. In California one may see in
the south Paisanos cutting the limbs from oak
trees to sell for fire wood, leaving the trunks as
too expensive to work; in other places lumber-
men use the clear timber alone, leaving the
branches and small wood to rot, or endanger
the remaining trees by the heat of the fires that
so often occur. In another place they only take
the bark for tanning purposes, leaving the
whole tree, save its skin only, to go to waste.
In no way does it seem possible to prevent this
waste and destruction, except by Government
control and supervision; even if there were no
waste, there ought still to be a control of the
forests to preserve their recreative and produc-
tive power so fast disappearing.

This waste by man and fire has grown, until
it now endangers the welfare of the laboring
people ( of the country, of the timber interest,
the greatest of the country, and perhaps endan-
gers the productiveness of the country itself
through climatic changes. It has altered from
being carelessness to being a crime, and should
be put an end to.

The third view of the utility of forests is one
that ought to attract great and immediate at-
tention in California, specially here in the
southern part of the State.

The effect of the forests on climate, and con-
sequently on all human activities, is well rec-
ognized. The Prussian Forestry Commission
has demonstrated, by experiment under Prof.
Muttrich, that the temperature of trees is
nearly constant, at about 54 degrees, and that
the temperature and humidity of the air is posi-
tively affected by forests. Thus, woodlands
have a modifying effect, similar to that of the
sea, upon the air that surrounds us, preventing
the extremes of heat and cold, and of dryness
that would and do occur upon lands when
there are no trees. Rapid alterations of tem-
perature are the causes of strong winds, storms.

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

heavy rains, cloud bursts, hails, etc. Forests
reduce the violence and frequence of these, and
distribute the rainfall more evenly and prevent
the extreme and trying dryness always found
at times in places from which more than the
proper proportion of forest has been removed.

No one who has lived in a wooded country
can have failed to notice that the roads after
rains always dried fastest in the open, and that
the mud remained longest in those parts of the
way shaded by trees. Evaporation and rapid
running off of the water is in such shaded spots
less than in the bare, open fields. The roadway
skirting the forest of Meudon has been often
cited in this connection. The road is bordered
by two drainage ditches, one on the forest side
and the other next the fields. In the first
ditch the water is always clear and trickles
through it long after the rains cease, while on
the other side a muddy rill runs only during
the rain, to disappear immediately when the
rain stops.

The valley of the St. Phalaz is another inter-
esting instance from France. Here there are
two valleys as nearly as possible equal in size
and inclination of watershed, one bare and the
other forested. In the first, heavy rains are
followed by torrents which destroy the roads
and wash away bridges, destructively rolling
rocks and gravel into the bottom lands. After
rains there is no water; everything is dry. In
the forested valley no dangerous or damaging
floods occur. The water remains clear, and
persists after the rains cease.

M. M. Jeandel, Cautgril and Bellaud,
Gardes Generaux des Forets addressed a memoir
to the Academy of Sciences of France, in 1861,
on this subject. Their observations were made
in two basins of the Meurthe of similar size and
inclinltion, but one destitute of trees and the
other largely covered with them. Their extended
and careful observations showed that in the bare
basin it was either a flood or a drouth as re-
gards the streams, while in the forest covered
basin, rains caused less increase in the streams,
while the waters of these persisted in a peren-
nial flow. From St. Helena, Ascension, South
America and South Afiica come observations
corroborating those already cited, many of
which I have quoted in former papers on this
subject.

The Willimantic Thread Company some time
since accidentally illustrated the influence of
plants on the atmosphere. The nature of the
opei-ations of this company demanded a reason-
able and constant humidity of the atmosphere
in their shops. To obtain this they had em-
ployed two men and a spraying machine, but
Col. Barrows, desiring to increase the comfort
and pleasure of his operatives, commenced the
cultivation of plants around the factory and
placed many in the rooms, employing one
gardener to take care of them. The atmosphere
was at once changed in character; the spraying
machine was no longer needed, one man's
wages were saved, and the operatives were sur-
rounded by beautiful flowers and their lives
made more pleasant.

Throughout Europe the view is held that from
one-quarter to one-third the area of a country
should be wooded to produce the best agricul-
tural results. That is, leaving the flow of
springs and streams aside, still the influence of
forests upon temperature and general humidity
is such that denudation of trees beyond a certain

doint, although increasing the productive area,
diminishes the total output.

With more work on a larger area, less is pro-
duced. This result, and secondarily the disap-
pearance of springs, and the diminution of
streams, consequent on the destruction of the
woods, has caused every European Government
except England, which is peculiarly situated,
to institute forest departments, and look after
and control the exploitation of wood.

One of the familiar illustrations showing the
effect of trees on other vegetation is that plants
under or sheltered by trees or belts of wood are
less liable to frost and to losing their fruit by
wind than those not so situated. What a few
trees do for a small area many do for a large
one, and we read now that peaches, grapes, and
other fruits that formerly flourished in Canada,
Michigan and other parts of America, have,
since the general destruction of surrounding
forests, ceased to bear so well as before, and, in
many places the trees themselves have died and
new plantations are without vigor or promise.
These results may not be wholly due to de-
forestation, but the greater injury now than
formerly by frost through these districts indi-
cates that a change has taken place in their cli-
mates, while at the same time a geueral destruc-
tion of forests has gone on.

In open plains the evaporation is very great
not only from the soil but from such vegetation
as may be found there. The excessive evapora-
tion produces cold and frost detrimental to
crops and also causes a desiccation of the air
which is sometimes equally destructive.

Often in Southern California when the wind
blows from the bare deserts the excessive dry-
ness blackens and kills tender vegetation just
as frost does. Were the mountains as bare as
the deserts, as they certainly will be if much
longer unprotected, these winds will be still
drier and more injurious to agriculture. This
is shown by the fact that, as we approach the
desert and such places where the mountains
are bare or off'er no barrier to these winds, vege-
tation is more injured than elsewhere.

In the open, also, greater heat prevails as
well as cold. In passing over a sandy field, the
heat is greater than it is on a grassy one and on
this greater than in a shaded wood. It is on
account of these variations of temperature that
columns of air change place more rapidly in
open than in wooded countries. This action
we call storms, whirlwinds, etc. It is probable
that a tornado never originated in a wood.

The mitigation of frosts by forests operates
again indirectly to favor vegetation. Dr. Wil-
liams of Vermont made some experiments on
this point in Vermont in the years 1789 to 1791
inclusive, and his figures as published by Marsh
show that there is an average difference between
the ground temperature of the forest and open
fields of about eight degrees. On January 14th
1791, he found the ground in an open field fro-
zen three feet and five inches deep, while the
thermometer at six inches below the surface of
the ground in the forest stood at 39 degrees or
seven degrees above the freezing point. Bous-
singault's experiments in France show the same
results, while on the other hand, the snow re-
mained in the forest long after it had blown
away or melted in the open.

This is not directly important on our Cali-
fornia plains, but becomes so because the snow-
fall in the mountains, as on the Sierra at San

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

Bernardino and San Jacinto, if it melts quickly,
runs off in floods, while if the melting happens
slowly, the springs fill up and the streams flow
more' evenly. The San Antonio and the range
where the San Gabriel rises are also afl"ected by
frosts and snow. Tlie Tulare and Fresno
country is especially so afifected. Thus, we see
that forests affect vegetation, not only by the
more even temperature and mitigation of at-
mospheric changes, but also by preserving the
lowlands from floods and giving them springs
and perennial streams.

This is a matter of the greatest importance to
us in California. A large part of our agricul-
ture depends on irrigation, and even where this
is not the case, our domestic use of water re-
quires the permanence of springs and wells.
The mountains in this State receive the greater
portion of the precipitation of moisture that
takes place here, either as snow or rain. The
rainfall at the base of Mt. Shasta is 60 or 70
inches annually, while at Sacramento it is iu
the twenties. At my ranch, at the base of the
Sierra Madre, in the rainy season of '83-'S4, 60
inches of rain fell, while at Los Angeles, 15
miles away, but 38 inches were recorded.

Probably in the mountains themselves a still
greater difference would have been observed.
It is true that rain gauges on the same building
at different hights and in the same town at dif-
ferent points, but with other conditions equal,
vary often as much as two or three inches for
a season. This has been the case in Los Angeles
city.

There are several rain gauges carefully kept
there, no two of which ever agree. But the fact,
I believe, has been universally recognized and
observed that the rainfall on mountains is
greater than that on adjoining plains. The
mountains then are the reservoirs of the coun-
try. It is amongst them that our supply for
the dry season falls, and it is in their soils, strata
and fissures that the water must be held to flow
off equally in summer, appearing in springs or in
wells far from where it fell.

Whether the forests attract rain or snow is
not settled. The authorities vary on the point.
Draper is strongly against it, but others support
the theory. In this country during the last
ten years the rainfall in the Rocky Mountain
region has had a marked decrease; forests dur-
ing this time in that section from Utah and
'Colorado to Montana have been largely destroy-
ed either for railroads, mining and other similar
^.urposes, or by fire. During the same decade
the rainfall in those States west of and contig-
uous to the Mississippi river, has increased while
at the same time an extensive planting of trees
has taken place in the district. Dr. W. M.Goodwin
of La Crosse and Dr. L. Sternberg of Fort Bark-
er, Kansas, with whom I have corresponded, say
that springs have appeared where before un-
known in that State consequent upon the plant-
ing of trees. Whether the rainfall has perma-
nently increased or not, the springs have come
with the trees. Mr. C. Grayden who has inter-
ests in the island of Santa Cruz in the Danish
West Indies tells me that since the burning and
destruction of the forests in that island the
■climate and rainfall have entirely changed.
Everything is drier; the rain he says conies
more violently and less frequently. During
rains now, one can hear the stones and boulders
roar as they are carried down the mountain
sides to cover and destroy the fertile valley

lands below. Cattle at times die of thirst and
have often to be fed during considerable periods,
none of which misfortunes occurred while the
due proportion of forests remained.

Forests preserve the rains through their pre-
vention of too rapid evaporation, by holding the
porous upper soil in place, and creating with
their leaves and decay the "humus," wihich of
all soils is that which takes up and holds the
moisture; and also by the conduits into the lower
ground formed by their roots. Trees by these
means allow the water to escape into lower
strata, and finally, by the thousand impediments
the forest offers, the waters are retarded and
given time to sink. Water never flows to cut
land on a wooded slope; this occurs only in the
open. When the long mesa back of Pasadena
was covered more or less with brush and native
growth, water did not flow from it into the
town center, nor did it ever flow into the swail
extending to and across Colorado street, near
the new school. Since these lands have been
burnt over and cleared, things have changed
and for the last two. years during rains, water
cuts gulches, injures orchards and lands where
it never did so before.

In Europe such an irregular flow of water is
called a torrent, and the records are full of
their creation by reason of the destruction of
forests, and of their extinction where the trees
have been replanted : but this, of course, in
consequence of the washing away of the soil
where the trees are gone is very expensive. In
the south of France, where the Government is
reclaiming the country from the desolation that
has followed the ruin of the great forests, Livy
speaks of, they are carrying dirt up the
mountains in baskets on muleback to start the
little trees, and the plantations succeed very
well.

When such trouble is taken and such ex-
pense incurred to plant trees, we may well con-
clude that it would be cheaper and better to
take care of the forests in the first place. M.
Blauqui, the distinguished French economist,
in 1848 after visiting provinces in the mount-
ainous parts of France once densely populated,
presented a detailed memoir of his observations
to the French Academy. He says : "The Alps
of Provence present a terrible aspect. In the
more equable climate of Northern France one
can form no conception of those parched
mountain gorges, where not even a bush can be
found to shelter a bird; where, at most, the
wanderer sees in summer here and there a
withered lavander; where all the springs ivere
dried up, and where a dead silence, hardly bro-
ken by the hum of an insect, prevails. But if
a storm bursts forth masses of water suddenly
shoot from the mountain hights into the shat-
tered gulfs — wash, without irrigating; deluge,
without refreshing the soil which they overflow
in their swift descent, and leave it even more
scarred than it was from lack of moisture. "

"Man at last retires from the fearful desert,
and I have the present season found not a liv-
ing soul in districts where I remembered to
have enjoyed hospitality 30 years ago."

Blauqui's account is one that couid be easily
duplicated. The result of hydraulic mining in
this State is child's fif^y, to what I have my-
self witnessed as the result of forest destruc-
tion in mountains. Many villages and even
districts have been deserted along the Italian,
French and Austrian Alps, on account of tor-

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

rents, and many others are in imminent danger
of the same fate. The Talfer torrent at Botzen
has been diked up year after year, until when I
saw it in 1879, the bed of the stream was al-
ready even with roofs of the houses, and these
are tall. The tower steeples of the villages of
Schlanders, Kortch and Laas are lower than the
surface of the Gadribach, and so the instances
multiply beyond any handling in this paper.
We have, however, several cases here at our
elbows of the alteration of streams by the burn-
ing of the brush on their water-sheds. Mr. A.
W. Canfield, Supt. of the Mission Water Co.,
of Santa Barbara^ informed me of the results of
a fire on the water shed of that stream, as fol-
lows:

1st. The green trees were replaced by bare
rocks; thus, the beauty and attractiveness of the
country was diminished; 2d, the streams took a
torrential character, by land slides and wash-
outs carrying off soil, sand and rocks, to deposit
them again on lower grades in its course; thus,
every rain filled up the water company's dam
and reservoir with debris; 3d, while the east
fork, with its forested water-sheds intact main-
tained its usual flow of water, the desolated
Mission creek was so materially diminished in
its summer flow as now to contain no more
water than its formerly smaller tributary. Loss
severe fires have produced similar results in the
Precipice and Kinney canyons back of Pasa-
dena and San Gabriel. The summer water in
both was less for some years after the fires that
injured the brush and trees on their water
sheds than before.

Col. Markham, Mr. S. Washburn, Dr. Rigg
and General Whittaker, of Pasadena, are all
familiar with facts showing the drying up of
springs and trees consequent upon the destruc-
tion of trees. I am embarrassed by the mass
of facts which I have gathered on this point.
Time will not permit much longer attention to
this subject. I shall therefore only give the
last two cases that have come to my notice.

Tne Torrens river, Mr. Brown the forest com-
missioner of South Australia, savs, has
materially changed in character. Formerly
water was to be found in it at all seasons, now
the deep places have been filled by sand and
gravel, and in places where formerly people
crossed in ferries they now cross during most of
the year drj'-shod. Dew has also disappeared
from many localities where previously abun-
dant. The great destruction of forests in Aus-
tralia is due mainly to the sheepmen who kill
the trees by girdling, expecting the denuded
land to carry more sheep than it otherwise
would.

The next instance to be given is that of the
Schuylkill river at Philadelphia. Sixty years
ago the engineers estimated the summer flow of
this stream at 500,000,000 gallons per day (five
hundred million). In 1874, the minimum flow
had dwindled to 250,000,000 gallons per day.
The diminution is attributed to the cutting down
of the forest at its source. In Europe meas-
ures have been kept of the depth and flow of
the principal rivers there, on some of them for
as long as 150 years. The Danube, the Elbe,
Rhine, Oder and Volga, have all diminished in
volume; where ships couLi once sail boats can
now scarcely get along. Ten feet is a frequent
lessening of depth, in these rivers.

These facts, as has been said, have forced
European Governments to take protective

measures in reference to their forests. It has not
been a matter of choice but of necessity. It is
their endeavor to main ain all waste places in
forest, cutting the trees so that they will grow
again, and maintaining about one-third of their
surface permanently in forest. Few countries
have less than this amount of land unfit for
agriculture but good for trees. Alsace and
Lorraine, the two valued ex-provinces of France,
have 38 per cent of their surface covered with
forests which pays a net revenue of $3 an acre.
All the forests under Government management
in Europe pay greater or less net revenue. That
of India does so also, the last figures I have seen
showing a net return of over $1,000,000 (one
million dollars) for that dependency of England.
Thus the Governments of Europe derive a
revenue while preserving their countries from
the fate that has overtaken the once cedar-
covered hills of Lebanon, of Palestine — the land
of milk and honey, now almost a desert, of
Persia where most of our fruits originated, of
Greece and of portions of their own lands. The
pathway of civilization has been strewn with
the wrecks of fertile lands. Forestry holds out
hopes that these results are not necessary and
may be avoided.

Our own country has no national forestry
system, and the systems of the 16 States that
have taken action in this matter are more or
less crude and defective. The United States
land laws now allow, one may almost say neces-
sitate, the most barefaced frauds by lumber-
men in search of timber. Mr. Goucher, a spe-
cial Government agent, informed me not long
ago that between five and six thousand fraudu-
lent land entries had been found in the single
timbered district about Mendocino county, the
entries being made to obtain control of the tim-
ber. The Government is being robbed, the
forest lands are stripped by lumbermen, de-
stroyed by sheepmen and burned by fire with
impunity. Only an occasional arrest without
punishment breaks this monotony.

This property that is being thus destroyed
and wasted under a system that permits, and
even invites fraud, is the people's. Such a con-
dition of things should be brought to a prompt
and permanent close.

When we consider the consequences of
unwise forest destruction and recall the deserts of
desolation such destruction has caused we must
be still more impressed with the necessity of a
proper care of our forests in the interests of the
people at large.

To this end I would suggest that the law pro-
viding penalties for burning forests be changed
so that it would become an object for persons
to bring to judgment guilty parties.

That the Government withdraw from mar-
ket all its timber lands, cause them to be sur-
veyed and those found necessary for the preser-
vation of watersheds be permanently dedicated
to that purpose; and that none be sold unless
over and above the proportion required accord-
ing to present experience for the best agricul-
tural results through climatic action. The whole
to be managed like the forest lands of Europe:
while giving a net return by products to be still
maintained forever forest land, and lastly the
abolition of the present protective tariff on lum-
ber which not only operates to place this great
interest in the hands of a powerful pool but
also sets a direct premium on the destruction of
every acre of timber land in the country.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

The wooded and brush covered mountains of
California are almost altogether worthless for ag-
riculture, but their importance as attractors,
holders and distributors of moisture is vital.

The life of the springs and streams of this
State is the life of every interest in it, and first
of all the farmers and fruit-growers. We
fruit-growers therefore should take energetic
steps to secure the protection of our mountains
upon which so much depends.

Action by the Convention.

Mr. H. P. Livermore stated that he desired
to call the attention of the members of the con-
vention to the dangers which might arise from
the depletion of our forests, and to the neces-
sity of their protection: that stockmen would
frequently, to get rid of the brush, and in order
to increase the amount of feed, start fires that
would destroy the timber over a large area.
Speaking of the damage from heaving floods
caused by this general destruction of forest
trees on the hillsides and mountains, and of-
fered the following resolution, and asked for its
adoption :

Resolved, that it is the sense of the Fruit-Grovvers
of California, in convention assembled, that special
protective legislation should be had by our State and
National Legislatures looking to the protection of all
existing forests and encouraging the creation of new
ones, for the suppression, by severe penalties, of the
devastating influences now rapidly deforesting the
country.

Mr. Livermore (continuing): I have written
this on the impulse of the moment, and I would
only say that certainly no harm can be done by
giving voice to such a sentiment from this body
of representative men, and I would desire to
offer with it the specific recommendations that
are embodied in the essay which we have just
listened to, and which seem to me eminently
wise.

The resolution offered by Mr. Livermore was
on motion adopted.

Thursday Afternoon's Session.

The convention reassembled at the appointed
hour. Dr. S. F. Chapin, in the chair, an
nounced the topic for the hour the discussion of
the papers read during the morning session.

Dr. Congar, referring to the essay read by
Mr. Kinney on forestry, said that, in his opin-
ion, the matters there referred to were not the
only elements that influenced the climate — the
amount of rainfall, etc. ; that the air currents
were also important factors to be considered,
especially the northern currents, which he be-
lieved were the best; that he had observed when
at the mouth of Cajon Pass, it would be per-
fectly calm, but when he reached the summit of
the pass there would be a gale blowing so that
it v;as almost impossible to get through. These
were matters that had been but imperfectly
understood, and which our scientists should
look into. He said : "Now, in my judgment,
the difference in the seasons here does not so
much depend on forestry as upon the zone
which we are in, as located by the meteorolog-
ical charts. It is between the 37th and 35th
parallel of north longitude. When the north-
ern currents prevail they are the condensing
currents, for they are cooler, as a rule, and
they meet the moisture-laden currents from the
south. We are dependent upon tliose two
strata of atmospheric circulation for our mois-

ture. What did we have in 1862, before there
was any trees cut away — before there was any
fires in the mountains or anything of the kind
to produce this disturbance, as is suggested in
the paper on forsstry ? We had the rain here,
and have not had storms like it. We had two
years ago a storm which, for this region, the
oldest, settler claimed was almost unprece-
dented; and we have bad no fires during the
last five or six years. What I have to say is
this : Are there not causes back of these little
local eflects that have to do with the precipita-
tion of moisture ? I believe that there are in-
fluences that we know nothing about — in other
words, that these periods come in cycles; no
one scarcely knows how long. They may be
11 or 20 or 28 years in their recurrence, but
they will bring us the periodical dry terms or
periodical wet seasons. Of course, I know that
if we put straw around our trees the moisture
will be retained much longer, as we have all
found out who are irrigating: on the principle
that if you expose these surfaces to the hot
sun you dry out the surface moisture, and the
same effect would be likely to be produced by
cutting away our trees.

Mr. Hatch: I believe it has been decided by
scientific researches that the ruins of the Old
World, and the depopulation of those
countries where those ruins existed, have
been principally, if not entirely, caused by the
destruction of the trees, and in other countries,
of later dates, similar things have been ob-
served to a great extent. And I think that
this convention ought to put considerable stress
upon legislation in regard to the preservation of
our forests, and the making of new ones in
the localities where needed.

Mr. Wilcox: I have studied this question
from various standpoints since I have been in
this State, and especially around the Bay of
San Francisco. I once met a sea captain who
had studied the movements of the winds and
found that they moved in a circle, and so I no-
ticed in Nevada county in this State. Now, in
tne Santa Cruz mountains we have a great deal
more rain than we have in the valley, and I
haye noticed that the wind coming in at the
Golden Gate followed up over those mountains
and carried the fog with it. A year or two
ago I investigated the subject of artesian wells,
and found that these mountains contained
strata, as Mr. Kinney has stated, that hold
water. There are layers of earth that are im-
pervious to water, and by means of these are
formed what I call blind or underground streams
coming from the mountains, which, no doubt,
discharge into the Bay of San Francisco, and
the more of them we tap the less water we get.
Now the question arises, if these Santa Cruz
mountains are denuded of their forests whether
we will get the same amount of rainfall and
what effect it will have upon these streams.
This is a very interesting question and one
which I believe can be profitably considered.

Irrigating Orange Trees.

Mr. Smith, of Santa Ana: I would like to
say one word to elicit discussion or information
regarding one point in Mr. Garey's paper: that
of cultivating the orange tree, and it perhaps
pertains to all of our trees. During the past
few weeks I have had occasion to pass by a
small orange orchard in the district of Orange,
and I noticed a peculiar method being pursued

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

(that is, peculiar to our section of the country),
and I inquired of the gentleman why he was
pursuing this method. He told me it was a
method pursued in Pasadena, and consisted in
making a circus ring around the tree, introduc-
ing the water, and then mulching and not culti-
vating around the tree, and if more moisture
was needed, to turn in more water by a little
channel right along the outer line of its circum-
ference, and let the mulch prevent evaporation.
He said that when the land is new, that is, be-
fore it had been cultivatsd for two or three
years, it was very loose and very porous, and
•when they irrigated the water would in a very
short time sink down through the soil and made
available to the roots of the ti'ee; but that ow-
ing to the constant stirring of the soil or
from some other cause, the soil below
where the cultivator strikes would be-
come a perfect hardpan impervious
to water. He showed me an illustration of it
where he had irrigated some time before, where
he could not work his land because of this im-
pervious substratum, which was not there the
first few years of his cultivation, and he had to
wait until the water had evaporated sufificiently
for him to get onto the land to cultivate it. He
said that from experiments that he had made if
this land can remain without constant irriga-
tion and cultivation, but only irrigated in the
winter with the winter rains, that the land will
again become mellow. I would like to have that
question discussed by those who have experi-
mented, as to whether this constant irrigation
and cultivation will not produce the impervious
hardpan, so that the water will not accomplish
the purpose for which it is put on the ground.
Mr. Garey: You may take a piece of soil
perfectly adapted to orange culture, and irri-
gated continuously for a long number of years,
say 8 or 10 or more, and in many cases a hard-
pan is formed. It is formed, I presume, by a
precipitation of sediment carried with the
water, and continuously putting on this water
in irrigating that carries the sediment, these
heavier particles are deposited in the soil and
added to from time to time, until a substratum
or hardpan is formed. I remember a number
of years ago, in old San Barnardino, I was pass-
ing where men were at work on their orange
trees that were quite old and very fine, but
they had begun to die. They tried everything
they could think of to resuscitate those trees.
They had poured water on them, and finally
they concluded they would dig down and see
what was the matter with the roots, and they
dug down about six or eight inches and
found a hardpan, as hard as adamant almost,
that wouldn't work, and they took a pick and
picked this hardpan up by pieces and threw
back the soil and the trees came out all right.
Now I don't know exactly how this is
formed, but I am satisfied that it is caused
by continuous irrigation without proper
cultivation. I know, too, that this mat-
ter of forming a circus ring, that the
gentleman speaks of, around the tree and
irrigating in that, is, I think usually done
for convenience in irrigation, and where water
is scarce. If water is not scarce, the usual
method is to put two or sometimes four furrows
to the row of trees and turn the water in and
let it flow right down. As to this little ridge
along by the trees, it is put there for two pur-
poses: one is to hold the water and the other is

to prevent the water from standing around and
striking the trunks of the trees, which has a ten-
dency to cause the gum disease, so-called; but
where water is scarce, they make these circles
for the purpose of economizing water. I think,
further, they used mulching for the purpose
of supplying the want of cultivation to a
certain extent, because if you irrigate your
orchard with these circles and rings it costs a
good deal of money to make those basins from
6 to 10 feet in diameter, and probably the ridge
a foot or 18 inches high around them. This
has to be pulled up with a hoe and takes a
great deal of labor. If you cultivate, of course
you break these rims and the work has to be
done over again. That you cannot afford to do,
and hence resort to mulching. Now mulching
is very good in its way, but there is a very se-
rious objection to it. There is no better harbor
or hot bed in this world to raise gophers than
there is in these very places. You commence and
make your basins in the spring and put on a foot
of straw and leave it there until the fall, and I
think, as a rule, you will find any amount of
gopher work during the summer. Nothing is
done to break up their holes and they accumu-
late there and breed and it is a danger.

Mr. Smi h : Mr. Garey has not quite
answered my question. From what I know of
this gentleman's procedure he bus given his
grounds very thorough cultivation — that is, to
the depth of three or four inches, and he claims
that the more cultivation the harder this pan
becomes. Now, I would like to ask how to
make thorough cultivation and still obviate the
forming of this almost impenetrable layer?

Mr. Garey: I will answer it in this way. I
think it is unprecedented that cultivation will
form a hardpan; in fact, I am inclined to doubt
that cultivation under any circumstances causes
a hardpan, except in this way. It is possible,
and I think probable, that there are implements
that are now, and have been used to cultivate
the ground that have teeth of a character to
enter the surface from two to four inches, with
a kind of scraping character, that do not seem
to dig up and loosen the ground but very little,
except just on the top and they scrape the
ground underneath. This is done very many
times in the summer in Southern California in
cultivating an orchard, and it is possible that
that process, continually cultivating just the
surface for two or three inches, and this scrap-
ing process, may pack the ground, it being wet
and soft, until after awhile it amounts to hard-
pan.

How to Prevent Hardpan.

Dr. Lotspeitch, of Orange: You may culti-
vate ground two inches deep one season and it
will form a hardpan. You may cultivate four
inches deep and it will form a hardpan. You
will cultivate four inches deep and irrigate it,
and whenever you cultivate it down to that
depth it forms, in six months' cultivation, about
two inches of a hardpan. That is what it will
form. Why? Because you can't go down
every time a little deeper and a little deeper; if
you did you would be plowing up China di-
rectly. But we commence and we cultivate
four inches deep for a whole season, irrigating
by the best possible means, and the rains come
again and there is a hardpan. The remedy for
that is to plow a little deeper than you have
cultivated, in the fall of the year when the
rains come and you have no hardpan to begin

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

next season with. But the constant process of
irrigating and cultivating just a certain depth
for a series of years would produce a hardpan
that would be impervious, and therefore the
trees would have to die in a short time; but if
you will cultivate it two inches deep, three
inches deep or four inches deep for six mouths,
and in the fall of the year when the first rains
come, plow that hardpan up and let it lie, you
commence upon the primitive condition of the
soil, and every man that cultivates and makes
a success in orange culture will have to do that.

Mr. Hatch: That is very similar to what I
would have said had I spoken first; but I would
add to it that it is not confined to lands that
are irrigated that this condition exists, but in
all lands in our State. Now it is immaterial
what causes this hardpan. The fact is it exists,
and that condition of things must be removed
to make our lands valuable to us in the produc-
tion of anything, whether it be grain or fruit.

Mr. Wilcox: In relation to this matter I
liave, after considerable cultivation, found a
hardpan formed underneath. This was adobe
soil, east side of the bay of San Francisco. I
have irrigated since then and I do not fiad any
difference between irrigated and unirrigated
lands in this respect.

Mr. Loop, of Pomona: In connection with
this subject of irrigation I will give you an item
of my experience. I have an orange orchard on
grdvelly loam that I planted 11 years ago.
After about the second or third year I found
there was a hardpan formed underneath, just
at the bottom of our cultivation, and I found it
necessary to use a sub-soil plow after the rains
set in and break that up, and unless I do that
every other year I find there is a hardpan
formed, and, unless it is broken up, it seriously
effects the roots of the trees.

Varieties of Fruit.

Discussion then turned upon the best varie-
ties of the different kinds of fruits to meet the
wants of consumers in the different seasons.

Dr. Lotspeitch: I am not a deciduous fruit
cultivator. My opinion, from practical experi-
ence, is that the best orange is the Rio. My
reasons are these: The Rio ripens and hangs
on the tree as well as any other orange we can
get. It is a thin skinned orange; it is
a fuU-meated orange; it is sweet and
juicy. Then again, it makes a fine standard
tree. The fruit is not any better than the
Mediterranean Sweet — not a particle; but the
tree of the latter is not as good as the Rio tree.
Therefore, I say, to. have a fine, nice tree you
can plant the Rio and have equally as fine
fruit. I find in the Eastern markets they can't
tell the difference between the Mediterranejan
Sweet and the Rio, but they will say the Med-
iterranean Sweet, because the name has a great
deal to do with it; often the name sells it.
Again, the Rio is just as prolific as the Med-
iterranean Sweet, and the fruit hangs on the
tree just as tenaciously. The Navel is a finer
looking orange. It will sell for a better price
in the market when it gets there, but when you
commence to count up the number of boxes of
the two I have first mentioned, in March and
April, iind compare it with the number of
boxes you can get off the Navel tree in March
or April, May or June, and you will fiud the
predominance is in favor of the Mediterranean
or the Rio orange. Still, the Navel will sell

for more than either of the others in the mar-
ket, from the fact of its lusciousness and its
large size, but still it does not have a sufficient
amount on the tree in the shipping season to
justify us in raising it. I and my brother have
13 varieties on our place. We have made a
success in shipping our oranges East. It only
requires care and attention to put your fruit in
the Eastern market at a profit. Two years ago
we sold our oranges at ^2 25 net on the tree;
year before last we got .$3 on the tree, and this
year $1.18 on the tree; that is net, and we
shipped them East and disposed of them our-
selves, and we found, as I say to this audience,
that the Rio has the preference of all our trees
that we have planted out.

Mr. Garey: I am very much gratified to
hear the doctor speak upon this subject in the
manner that he does: I have the honor of be-
ing the individual that introduc<>d the Medit-
erranean Sweet, and I am glad to hear it spoken
of so highly. As I said in my essay, if I were
planting an orchard, I would divide it and put
part of it into Mediterranean Sweet and part of
it Washington Navel, for the reason that the
latter is an early orange, and the Mediterranean
Sweet is a late orange, so you would have
double the time to market your fruit. I would
like to know where the Rio can be obtained.

Dr. Lotspeitch: I am not a nurseryman, and
I am unable to answer the question. As to
planting varietie?, so as to have them ripen at
different times, I say we don't want to market
fruit at all till the last of March, and a Medit-
erranean or Rio will stick on the tree until the
first of July and much better than the Navel —
we can put them into the market for three
months, and I think that is long enough for
any man to market his fruit. I never plant a
Washington Navel from the very fact that you
have to market that fruit early or you would
realize nothing from it, as was proven last
wiuter in shipping fruit early to the Eastern
market. We did not realize any profits from it .

Dr. Chubb: I believe that the fruit business
is a growing industry, and we are all interested
to know just now in this part of the State what
trees to plant, not what special varieties of
orange or apple, but in planting out new
ground, shall we plant oranges at all or peaches,
or shall we plant apricots, or prunes, or olives,
or figs? And in this connection I would like
very much to have the discussion for a few
minutes take the shape of giving us information
from the northern part of the State as to what
they consider the future profitable branch of
deciduous fruit culture. Very many of ouv
people are partially disgusted with the orange
business on account of the difficulties attending
it, and are looking to prunes or olives or figs,
in some localities, and we would like to know
how to advise newcomers in the southern part
of the State, who are inclined to plant out these
varieties of deciduous fruits with a view to
future marketable crops.

Mr. Hatch : We of the North have been
considering somewhat the varieties that we be-
lieve the most profitable for propagation in the
future, and from evidences coming to us from
the sale of different products in the Eastern
markets, have arrived at the conclusion that
fine varieties of tible grapes can hardly be pro-
duced in too large quantities. There is nothing
probably so much desired, and in other lines
than that we find that probably we have enough

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

pears for the present, and we have probably
raisins enough for the present. By the time
those that are now planted come into bearing
they will supply the demands of our people,
but we think that olives, in land that is adapted
to them, the nuts of California, in laud that is
adapted to them, and the fig, are promising.
It is a very opportune time in the history of
California to consider that in the pnst we have
had no fig that we could be proud of to submit
to the markets of the East. I see here to day
a box of figs whicli I consider indicates the pos-
sibility of an addition to the fruit industry of
California which will prove immense in its pro-
portions. When planted in the proper place,
properly cared for, packed and delivered to the
Eastern fruit-eating public, I believe will be
a large revenue from California figs.

Mr. W. H. Aiken: The question that has
been asked is very important, and, indeed from
the northern part of the State we also ask that
question. Every one of us probably has been
more or less troubled to know just what to
plant. Generally the question can be answered
by saying, Plant what you can raise best in your
locality. If our people would first find out
what the soil that they are living on is best
adapted to, what the climate where they are
living is best adapted to, they could then plant
what would do best, and, in that way, would
make the most money. That takes some time
to learn. A ne'wcomer going into a certain lo-
cality should make a great effort to ascertain
from his neighbors, who are living in the same
locality, what does succeed best and what will
sell for the most money. Since this Eastern
shipping question has come up, it can be
answered farther, that we had better plant ship-
ping fruits and shipping grapes, for the reason
that most any table grape may be dried, although
it may not inake a good raisin; so with the
fruits. When the question is asked what will
ship East profitably and safely it must be a
large, firm, well-developed, well-appearing
fruit. You can take the peach, for instauce,
when it is raised at an elevation upon some of
our low mountains or foothills. In our
section, the Santa Cruz mountains, which
is about 1500 feet above the sea, we can raise a
peach that will go to Liverpool and arrive in
good condition, as we have demonstrated re
peatedly, while probably the same variety of
peach grown ten miles away would not do any
more than reach Chicago; and possibly would
not go 100 miles and arrive in San Francisco in
good condition. So I would say, you must
raise that which is adapted to your soil and
your climate. I asked a gentleman from Chi-
cago the other evening how much grapes and
other fruit the city of Chicsgo and State of
Illinois would take, if we could place it there
as low even as five cents a pound. He said lie
did rot think that the State now produced
enough fruit to supply that city and State
ajone. I believe in that statement and that we
can place fruits and grapes in Chicago at five
cents a pound and clear to the producer one-
half of that amount. Fruits g-own in the dry air
and mild climate of California will stand a long
shipment to the East, while fruits raised in
Oregon and any place where the rains are fre
quent and heavy will not ship. We will never
find a competitor in Oregon or Texas, or many
other States, because of this tact.

Our apricots were considered by us utterly

worthless, and little attention was paid to them
until Judge Blackwood, of Haywards, had a
little orchard that proved a bonanza for him,
and from that little starter he said he believed
he had ruined the State, by demonstrating that
there was great profit in apricots, for everybody
went to planting them north, south, east and
west. Then followed the French prune, a very
valuable fruit, but I believe there are only a
very few places in the State adapted to the
French prune. It needs a very rich soil, with
climatic conditions likely to cause a successful
growth of the tree. I repeat the general propo-
sition, to first ascertain what your particular
locality is best adapted to and stick to that one
thing. Do not have a large number of varie-
ties of fruit, for one may do well, and ano her
not; but have large blocks of available fruit, so
that if this shipping interest succeeds, the fruit
will ship successfully and bring Eastern money
here for it.

Mr. SiiUee: We are happy to say to the emi-
grant w ho is coming to this country now, that
it is no longer an experiment, as it was with the
fruit growers who came here 10 or 12 years ago,
as to where you shall plant certain varieties of
trees, and as to what kinds will be the best for
shipping. The prospect is that we can plant
shipping fruits and depend upon shipping them
with advantage and success, that we can tell the
newcomer to plant in the rich damp soils of the
lowlands, the pear, the apple and the quince,
and upon the higher, drier, rich alluvial soils,
the peach, the pear, the prune and the apricot.
The orange we can say to them to plant upon
the rich deep alluvial soils from the Sierra
Madre mountains ; the granite and the lime-
stone, supplied with abundance of water to irri-
gate with. We are happy to say to the people
of the North that we appreciate fully the im-
portance of the deciduous fruit culture, and we
know and appreciate where our advantage is in
raising them, and we do see the advantages in
this class of fruit in shipping them to the East,
and though we can give many of these points to
the newcomer, an experienced horticulturist who
has been here 10 or 12 years will give you all
the advice you want.

A Delegate : When I started on my place
I had a range of a few acres in extent and
wanted to know what to plant, and the answer
was as Mr. Aiken has given — plant that which
does best in your neighborhood, in your variety
of soil. Well, I could not find out what did
best, and although I knew that it was unwise
in a certain point of view to put a small place
into a half a dozen different varieties, still I
felt compelled to do it, even if I had to take
out five of the varieties in the future. I
thought I would make some sacrifice to find a
solution of this question, but I have not found
a solution from this fact: I put in certain por-
tions to apricots, pears, Muscat grapes, wal-
nuts, and a few apples, peaches, olives and figs.
The result is that this last season, only two
years last spring from the setting out of the
trees and vines, I had a phenomenal yield,
both as to quantity and quality of apricots.
The walnut trees are not large enough nor old
enough to bear, but the sample taken of the
walnuts from the four-year-old trees from the
Santa Ana table exhibit were grown adjoining
my place and my trees give the promise of
doing equally well. The pears were all Bart-
lett pears excepting a few Winter Nelis, and

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

59-

were equal in quantity and quality to anything
I ever saw or heard of for their age. The
Muscat vines yielded the raisins you see on the
table, and there were eight tons to the acre.
Now, I don't know what is the best variety of
fruit to plant, because I dont know which is
going to bring in the most money. That is v/hy
we wish the question answered by the people
of the North, so that we in the southern part
of the Scate can know what, according to their
experience, is most likely in the future to bring
us the greatest returns, provided we can raise
all these different things equally well.

Mr. Aiken requested that Mr. Smith, of
"Vacaville, give the convention his experience
and ideas as to wha- to plant.

W. W. Smith, of Vacaville: Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen — I would tell you plainly
ii I could what kind of fruit to plant to make
the most money out of, for that is the question
now before the people of this State. It is the
all-absorbing question north, south, east and
west. We have made more money out of our
cherries than any other fruit. That won't do
you much good, for several have told me here
that you can't raise cherries, in some parts, at
least, of this section of the State. Next, we
make more money out of what we call shipping
grapes — the Muscat of Alexandria, the Flaming
Tokay, the Rose of Peru, the Chasselas, and
one or two other varieties. Any of the light-
colored grapes that are firm and ship well are
good fruit to ship to an Eastern market to
make money out of. Next, we ship a good
many apricots East. The largest part of the
crop of apricots of Solano county are shipped
to the Eastern States this year. We have but
few pears yet that have shipped well. We
shipped a great many peaches this year to the
Eastern market. A large proportion of my
peach crop was shipped to Chicago. Parties
came to my orchard and bought them. The
varieties of peach that ship best are the Early
Crawford, Foster, Orange Cling, known with us
as the Sacramento River Orange Cling, and Sol-
way. Any good sized, yellow fleshed peach is
in demand in the Eastt-rn market. The yellow
freestone peach is more sought for than any
other kind; however, a good, yellow clingstone
peach sells well. It is not for me to tell you
here what kind of soil to plant these kinds of
fruit on. That has already been stated plainly
by several gentlemen. If I were going to start
a new orchard anywhere in the vicinity of San
Francisco, I would hunt a location where the
apple does well, and plant largely of Winter
apples. My humble judgment is, there is more
money in a go<'d apple orchard to- day, within
150 or 200 miles of San Francisco, than any
other fruit you can plant. But the orchard
must be in a locality where the apple does well,
I spent the months of August and September
in the Eastern States investigating this fruit
matter, as I intended to ship my own fruit on
my own responsibility, and my conviction is
that we shall have enough growing, when our
fruit trees come into bearing, to supply the
Eastern markets with deciduous fruits, and
citrus fruits also. If Congress would impose
an import duty of about two and a half cents a
pound on raisins, the raisin business would be
one of the best businesses in this State, and I
would get a suitable piece of land for raising
raisins, and go into that business. But as it is,
we cannot make money by raising raisins in

California in competition with the cheap labor
of Europe. It is out of the question. They
can hire help at 20 or 25 cents a day, and we
have to pay from $1 to $1.75. That is too high
to pay labor to raise raisins or prunes, either,
but were there this import duty on raisins, and
say 50 cents a box on prunes, it would make
either a profitable crop.

You may say I have not yet answered our
question. What fruit we shall plant to make
the most money from? If I knew how to answer
that question I would certainly answer it for
myself, and go home and go to planting that
fruit, and so would every one of you. The
nearest I can come to it is to plant the fruit
that grows best in your locality. You will be
very likely to find a market for it if you take
pains to raise choice fruit. Do not let your
trees overbear; thin them thoroughly while the
fruit is young; prune them correctly; cultivate
your trees, or your vines as the case may be,
thoroughly; gather your fruit in the proper
time; put it up in the proper shape; handle it
carefully; put it into the hand's of the right
kind of men — the California Fruit Union — and
ship it East, and you will be very apt to make
some money out of it.

I will tell you something about the quantity
of cherries I ship: I shipped to market 20,000
ten-pound boxes of cherries this season, and I
paid W. F. & Co., or the C. P. R. R. Co. over
$2,500 to take that fruit from Vacaville to the
San Francisco market, some 75 miles. My ex-
perience in shipping cherries to the Eastern
market on my own responsibility has not been
favorable. A gentleman from the city of San
Francisco came to my place and bought some-
thing over two tons of cherries and shipped
them to the Eastern market, to Chicago, St.
Paul, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City,
Denver, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cin-
cinnati, and I think to Cleveland, Ohio. He
did not make a success of it, but I was satisfied
at the time that he would not make a success
from the fact that he did not pack his cherries
in the proper shape to go that distance. He
was like many, a little too greedy. The con-
tract was that I was to pick the cherries for
him and under his direction he would send a
man to my house to superintend the packing or
boxing of those cherries, and he insisted on fill-
ing the boxes too full. He used t ;e common
strawberry box, which, as you know, is a little
box about two inches deep, eight inches wide
and sixteen inches long. I insisted on it at the
time that it was not the proper box to ship
cherries East in, but that was what he used
and he had his man superintending the packing
of them, and he filled them too full, so that in
nailing on the cover there was scarcely a box
but what the cherries were bruised before they
left the packing house, and of course they
could not go a six or eight day journey in good
order. If I were going to ship cherries East, I
would use a box about the size of the straw-
berry box, one-third wider, and have the ends
higher than the sides, and fill the box about
even full with the sides, and tack a piece of
blotting paper across on the ends, leaving a
space between the cherries and the paper, and
I would nail the top on to that so there would
be a space between the fruih and the paper, and
a space between the top and the paper. I am
satisfied that I can ship cherries from here to
New York city, and they will arrive there in

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

good order, some varieties in particular, the
black Tartarian, the Royal Ann or Napoleon
Bigareau and the Great Bigareau: any of those
will go to New York city in that way.

Mr. Chapin; What space would there be be-
tween the c erries and the paper ?

Mr. Smith: I would leave about oneh-?!!
inch between the paper and the cherries. The
blotting paper would take up the moisture aris-
ing from the cherries and would keep them dry
and firm, and if the package should happen to be
packed upside down, the cherries would not
bruise as they would if they fell against the
cover of the box itself. If the blotting paper
would cost too much, I would use a very thick
heavy wrapping paper, such as is used in wrap-
ping hardware, which would answer about the
same purpose, though I do not think it would be
as good as the blotting paper.

RAISINS.

Mr. Bettner: I want to say a few words in
reply to the Remarks of Mr. Smith about raisins
which, as I understood was, that if we had a
duty of 2h cents on raisins it would be one of
the most profitable of industries, and he would
go into it. We have a duty of two cents a
pound on raisins.

Mr. Smith: I meaiit was an additional tax
of 2^ cents a pound.

Mr. Bettner: As a matter of fact we do com-
pete very well now with the raisin-makers of
Europe, although we would like to have the
ex.ra duty. The raisin business at present is a
profitable industry in the southern part of the
State and promises to be. All he raisin grapes
in Southern California that were sold this year
were sold at an average price to exceed $20 per
ton, and the men who bought them are making
money in curing and packing them at those
prices, although they have some considerable
risk to run, and I need not tell you that selling
grapes at $20 a ton you can make money out of
a raisin vineyard in a suitable locality. In
Southern California there have been instances
where vineyards have yielded 17 tons of grapes
to the acre ; that is an excessive yield, but an
average of from five to eight tons is quite fre-
quent, and rhere is no trouble in making a profit
on that. There are several reasons why we can
compete with the Malaga growers although
they have so very much cheaper labor. First
of all the average yield in Malaga is nothing
like so heavy as it is in California. Then again
the American understands how to save in labor
appliances, and we have appliances for turning
and handling our raisins which they do not, so
that although their labor is so much cheaper I
venture to say that it costs them not so far
from what it costs us, and that I can state to this
convention that the rai>in business is a profit-
able business to-day in Southern California, and,
so far as indications point, is going to be for
years to come.

Mr. Rice : The Massachusetts Horticultural
Society published a report that is tabulated
from information received from all the princi-
pal fruit growers of that section of the country,
giving the best varieties of all the different
iruits grown — giving say the five first best va-
rieties and the five second-best varieties in each
line. I would like to ask of our State Horti-
cultural Board if it is possible for them to com-
pile such a statement.

Mr. Hatch called for Mr. Sol. Runyon, of
Courtland, Sacramento Co.

Mr. Runyon : I did not come here for the
purpose of making speeches, but that I might
look around and see what was being accom-
plished in this locality. As regards the varieties
of fruit best adapted for shipping purposes, I
can only say what in our section of country we
make the most money from. We are shipping
East from my neighborhood pears, peaches,
plums and prunes mostly. The Bartiett is the
leading pear; the Seckel comes next. Other
varieties do not succeed; they are too early,
while at other places not a hundred miles from
there they do succeed. On our peaches, plums
and prunes of different varieties the Sacra-
mento river can hardly be beat in this State,
and the varieties best adapted to shipping from
our section are the yellow-fleshed peach, the
different varieties of the Crawford, the Yellow
Cling, the Lawler. As to prunes, we ship
what is termed the Hungarian prune and the
German prune.

Mr. Wilcox: At New Orleans our fruit was
superior to that brought from any part of the
world. There is not an apple grown east of the
Rocky mountains that compares in size, or that
is as clean and large as your White Winter Par-
mains. There is hardly a variety of apples
grown here that they recognize as a specimen
of the same variety grown in the East. When
Marshall P. Wilder, who has been president of
the American Pomological Society from Boston
visited our oldest orchard, from which, prob-
ably, the first I'ruit was shipped East, now
owned by Mr. Block of Santa Clara, he and his
companions examined the fruit, and did not
know it, could not place a name on it, and it
was grown on trees that some of the party had
shipped to this State. As to going to Massa-
chusetts to find out the best fruits to raise, that
is impracticable. We could not afford to do
it. What we want is the best fruit we can raise
in our locality. Here we have the best decidu-
ous fruits raised probably in the world. Most
of our pears originated in France; but the
French table in New Orleans did not compare
with the California table. There were men
from Massachusetts at New Orleans who
claimed to know that we did not raise a good
apple. I took a Rhode Island Greening and
asked them if they could tell the variety. They
did not know it, and it was not as clean and
large as some which are on exhibition here. So
far as our locality is concerned I would not try
to hunt anything better if I had a good location
for the White Muscat grapes, but I have not.
I must raise such kind of products as my soil
is adapted to. Near my place there are pear
trees a hundred years old. I am going to raise
pears. A heavy adobe soil where water comes
close to the surface seems to suit them. I had
24 acres of blackberries that I am going to plow
up, and I am going to raise prunes on that heavy
land, I have an idea they will do well.

Nomenclature.

Prof. Husmann: I think I can offer some
suggestions as to a matter that will benefit us
all, and which every fruit-grower in the State
should consider; that is, to bring some sort of
order into the almost inextricable confusion
into which fruit culture has grown. That is a
qilestion of names of varieties of names. This
is clearly shown by the exhibits here both of

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

apples and pears, which are improperly labeled.
How can you tell a man what he is to plant,
when he does not know whether he gets that
variety or not? We want a competent commit-
tee in each district of this State, working to-
gether, reporting to the State Horticultural
Society, to try to bring some order out of the
confusion. I wish to make a motion that a
committee be appointed here to take into con-
sideration the nomenclature of the fruits of this
State, and try to bring some order into it, and
to report to the State Board of Horticulture, at
San Francisco.

Mr. Shiun: The matter of nomenclature is
exceedingly important, but to accomplish the
great object is a herculean task, and I would
not like to be on such a committee. I believe
if the committee were appointed to report at
the next meeting of the State Board, it would
do some good; but it would be years and years
before it could be fully accomplished. If the
committee is appointed, I hope it will be a gen-
eral committee from different parts of the
State, large enough to have a member in each
locality, who will be wide awake at all exhibi-
tions of the fruit interests of the different sec-
tions, making comments upon it and reporting
at the dififereut meetings and to the Board of
Horticulture.

Dr. Chapin: This subject is one of vast im-
portance, and of vast proportions as well. I
feel that I am safe in saying that there is not a
fruit-grower in this State that can go around
this exhibit in this room and name every ex-
hibit accurately. I know for one I would find
it utterly impossible to name the fruits that are
here exhibited. The fact is that in different
localities of the State conditions prevail that
are so widely different that the same fruit
which has peculiar characteristics in one local-
ity has entirely different characteristics in an-
other locality. The White Winter Pearmain
apple as seen here and grown in Southern Cali-
fornia would hardly be recognized as the White
Winter Pearmain of the northern part of the
State. It is much the same with other apples
that I might mention here. I have heard some
of the most eminent pomologists of the coast in
dispute about the names of certain apples that
are on the plates in this hall to-day. I believe
that this committee should be selected with tne
greatest care, and should have the most ample
time in which to work in the most thorough
and complete manner, in order to accomplish
these most important objects.

Mr. Garey: This is a great task, but if we
do not start about it we will never make any
progress. It would probably be a whole year
before a committee of this kind can make an
intelligible report. I think it should be started
in some way, and that very soon. I move that
the State Board of Horticulture be requested
by this convention to appoint a committee of
five to be known as a "committee on nomen-
clature" of the fruits of this State,

Prof. Husmann : In connection with this
■ motion I will state here that Commissioner
Colman, of the Department of Agriculture, has
taken one very important step in that direction
already by appointing a special horticulturist —
an office that never existed before— in the per-
son of Prof. Bandman, of Geneva, Kansas, one
of the most prominent horticulturists in the
country, and he will do all he can to aid this
committee, as he will visit us next summer.

Mr. T. J. Berry : I have been engaged in
raising fruit since 1856, in the State of Illinois
and State of Mississippi and State of Oregon
and State of California, and also have been
some time engaged in handling fruit in New
Orleans. I have always been a close observer
of these matters, and found that certain varie-
ties of fruit assumed different characters as
they came from different localities. I can
speak particularly of the Bartlett pear, as, for
instance, grown in Mississippi, in the vicinity
of Grand Gulf, and placed on a plate with one
grown in Ohio. They rarely present the same
form, nor have the same flavor, the same
luciousness or the same general appearance, yet
they were propagated, to my certain knowl-
edge, from the same identical growth. Now,
the Bartlett pear of New York is entirely dif-
ferent from the Bartlett pear of the West.
The Bartlett pear of California is entirely differ-
ent from the Bartlett pear of the East, and
just as this gentleman says who has this or-
chard at Vacaville, Mr. Smith, the reason why
the Bartlett pear there is so profitable is that
it is an early fruit. You do not want to raise
fruit for size. Consumers are often more
numerous for small than for large fruit, and
you want to raise the fruit that will sell the
best, and when you come to name your fruit it
will be necessary to raise it for the particular
locality in which they grow. The White
Winter pear grown here is finer than any other
portion of the State; plums grown in Sacramento
and Santa Clara county are the finest. In Los
Angeles counties the grapes are the finest I ever
saw, and I handle a great quantity of grapes.
How, then, is the mere name to satisfy the man
who wants just such a quality of grape? How
are you going to classify them to satisfy him ?

Mr. Hatch: I would like to correct one lit-
tle mistake. It is this: The Vacaville county
does not produce the earliest Bartl'ett pears,
where it does produce the early cherries.

What Fru.it to Plant.
Mr. Smith: I would like to call your atten-
tion again, to a question that has been asked so
often: What is the best fruit for us to plant
to make money out of? The best answer, I be-
lieve, that any gentleman in the State can give
is: "Plant that that does best in your lo-
cality." The reason for it is this: Our cli-
mate, our soil and other circumstances are so
different and so variable that no definite rule
can be given on that point; consequently, ob-
serve what does well in your own locality and
on your own soil. There ought to be between
every man's mind and his own soil a well regu-
lated communication or understanding. He
should know the soil of hie own farm; then it is
not a hard matter for him to determine what to
plant in his own soil that will succeed. If you
plant what is best adapted to your own locality
and your own soil and take good care of that,
you will not miss it. The motion of Mr. Hus-
mann was carried, and the convention adjourned
until 7:30 P. M.

Discussion on Fig Growing.

The convention reassembled at 7:30, W. M.
Boggs in the chair. The discussion of the cul-
ture of the fig was declared in order,

Mr. Milco: A year ago at the meeting in
San Francisco I presented before the convention
a White Adriatic fig, in not only the green and

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

ripe state, but also dried. I did it so that the
public and fruit-growers might judge of the
quality of the fig. Now, of course, it has been
the custom of nurserymen, and I am one of
them, to recommend different trees and differ-
ent qualities of fruit before you see the fruit,
but my idea is, that if anybody has a new thing
he should show the fruit, so that people could
see the quality of it, and so on. Now I will be
glad to answer any questions about this fig, be-
cause I was the one who introduced it and
brought it before the public. I gave it that
name because there have been a great many figs
that are called Smyrna figs, and in order to dis-
tinguish this from any other fig I named it the
White Adriatic, simply because I was born by
the Adriatic sea in Dalmatia, and that fig orig-
inally came from Dalmatia. I hope that the
people of Southern California will try it. I
wouldn't recommend anyone to buy 1000 or
10 000 trees. My advice is to try a few
trees and see what they will do, and, in
a couple of years after you plant
those trees if you find they do well you can
propagate your own trees until you can't rest.
I believe the White Adriatic is the only fig you
can grow with profit, to dry, in California; and
you can ship them. If we should happen to be
successful in sending our fruit East through the
Fruit Union, my opinion is that the White
Adriatic can be landed in the ripe state for
table purposes in New York City without any
trouble, and if we can show such a fig as that
in New York City, I will assure you that we
shall be able to realize good profits from them.
Mr. Hixson tells me last summer he received a
few figs and they brought fancy prices in Chi-
cago. There is no fruit so easily cultivated
and taken care of as the fig; for the fig will
grow anywhere.

A Delegate: Will it do well on comparatively
dry land, with the surface water 60 feet from
the surface, without irrigation?

Mr. Milco: I think it will if you start
it for the first year or two. In my coun-
try it is never irrigated. Such a thing as irri-
gation is not known, and figs do finely.

Mr. Loop: I will ask if this is the variety
known as the fig of Genoa?

Mr. Milco: I can't tell. I never was in
Genoa.

Mr. Loop: There is a fig cultivated in
Riverside which they call the Genoa, which
was larger than any variety of white fig which
I have ever seen in other countries, and as near
as I can remember the fig at Riverside was
really richer than the one we ate in Genoa.

Mr. Milco: Dr. Eisen has written a letter
to the Rural Press, wherein he stated that
this White Adriatic was introduced from Italy,
which was not the case, and he also spoke
about the White Genoa fig, which he also rec-
ommended. I in return wrote an article con-
cerning the State Fair and invited anybody
who had the White Genoa to send it along, so
that we could examine it. As I said before,
people nowadays are not going to believe any-
thing until they see it, and I advise in the fu-
ture any man that wants to grow anything in
the way of fruit trees, not to buy anything un-
til he sees it, and then he will be apt to get
something that he wants. There are several
characteristics about that fig that I wish to
state. One is, that if you give the White
Adriatic fig too much water, the figs will

burst on the tree before they are ready to
be picked, and some of them will actually rot
on the tree. Too much water won't do. You
can regulate that. Still, they want some
water in countries where it is dry, and my
opinion is that generally in Southern Califor-
nia you will have no trouble to grow the fig any
more than you will the orange or anything
else, and it will pay you more than anything
you have ever grown.

A Delegate: An orange tree, is the most
troublesome tree to grow there is.

Mr. Milco: Where I come from we have
ripe oranges and lemons all the year around,
and we never water them.

A Delegate: Do you have summer rains?
Mr. Milco: Once in a while we have, but
not to speak of. I don't think we have as much
rain in that country as you have here. It is
similar to Los Angeles and not far from the
coast, and you can pick ripe oranges there all
theyear around, and lemons also; but this White
Adriatic fig particularly, I know, is adapted to
California, because we have tested it fully in
the San Joaquin valley and know what it can
do, and I can not see any reason why it will not
do well here.

Mr. Sallee: In summer the excessive heat
caused almost the entire crop in the valley to
rot and drop off the tree; was that the case with
this fig.

Mr. Milco: I have never noticed this fig lose
its fruit at all, but of course in a case of extreme
heat that may happen to any fruit tree. We
have had it 115° in the shade this sumfner, and
105° to 110° at midnight. We irrigated our
trees about twice a year, in the spring of the
year after the rains were over, and then again
about the middle of July; not flooding them,
mind you, but just running water alongside in
ditches so that the ground could be soaked.

A Delegate: Does the tree bear two crops or
only one ?

Mr. Milco: They ripen about the 15th of
August and continue to ripen up to this time
almost one crop continually.

A Delegate: How is it if they produce but
one crop that they commence ripening so early
and continue so many months ?

Mr. Milco: That is something peculiar
about the White Adriatic. I suppose I have
now five or six varieties of new figs that I have
imported from Europe, of which the first crop
will be very valuable and the second no ac-
count at all. The reason I make a distinction
between the first and second crop is that there
is a lapse of a month or six weeks during which
you cannot pick any figs at all; with the
White Adriatic from the time it begins to ripen
you can go every day and pick a certain
amount of fruit right along, until the winter
and frost overtake the last fruit.

Mr. Hatch: I would like to ask if this crop
you speak of is not in all respects similar to the
second crop on our black figs.
Mr. Milco: Very much.
Mr. Hatch: The only difference being this:
that we have two crops on our black figs by
getting a small first crop on the wood formed
the season before, while the second crop all
comes on the wood of the season in which it is
borne, and continues to come as long as those
branches continue to grow.

Mr. Milco: That is what I desire to ex-
plain. On the White Adriatic the young figs

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

are grown entirely on the wood that is grown
this summer. You will never find a fig of that
sort on the old wood at all.

Mr. Sallee: In an orchard that I had charge
of this year are two kinds of black figs; one
dropped off the tree when it got ripe, the other
a smaller fig which hung on to the tree and
dried. The skin Mas very soft, and smooth
and thin, and the fig was very rich and sweet.
I would like to know the variety of it.

Mr. Milco: Theve are two varieties of the
Ischia fig: one large and one small; the circum-
ference of that is scarcely larger than a 25cent
piece. Is that about the size of your fig?
Mr, Sallee : A little larger probably.
Mr. Milco : I think it is, as near as I can
remember that fig. It is not worth growing
unless you want to grow them for shade trees,
because if you have ever so many figs of that
kind it would not pay you to market them. It
is something like growing Flemish Beauty
pears when you can just as well grow Bartletts.
Mr. Loop : I would like to know if you are
familiar with the fig known as the Brown
Ischia, a fig we have got, I think, from Mr.
Garey — one of the largest figs we grow.

Mr. Garey : I think the fig Mr. Loop speaks
of, the Brown Ischia, is one of the finest figs
we have — one of the most prolific and early
bearing. It sometimes bears the first year:
certainly bears the second year from the cut-
ting, and is very fine, but you can't dry it: it
is too full of juice.

Mr. Milco: There has been quite an inquiry
made for this San Pedro fig. Some 12 or 1,3
years ago I imported a lot of those figs and sold
them, and of course some of those figs have
been scattered all around, and this year for the
first time I have seen the fruit from any partic-
ular tree that came from my stand; at least
the man claims that it is one of those trees. The
fruit don't look like the San Pedro at all. For
that reason, I say, don't pay any attention in
the future to the San Pedro until you can see
the fruit. We have had several varieties for
three years in the nursery, set out far enough
apart so as to see the fruit, and, to our surprise,
the fruit is falling off, and we can't say now
what they are. Of course I know where they
came from. My own father sent them to me
ani I knew the trees before they sent them, but
I don't want anybody to take those trees or
have any confidence in them until we show them
the fruit as we do the White Adriatic,
Mr. Sallee: Tell us something about

Drying the Fig.
Mr, Milco: I will confine myself to the
White Adriatic and the Black California.
The Black California, if properly dried, is not
a poor fig by any means. If well dried it will
be almost as soft and fine tasting as our best
Adriatic. Still, being black, there is some-
thing against it. Do not allow your figs to dry
on the tree. Do not pick them off the ground,
as some people do, but as soon as your figs are
dead ripe, so they are quite soft and you see
white seams on them, and the fig commences to
wilt a little, then pick it carefully. Pick it by
the stem; do not pull it off. There is no neces-
sity of cutting it with a knife; pinch it off and
lay it in a basket and then spread it on basket-
work trays. Where I come from they have
them made for that purpose from four to five
feet wide, and eight to ten feet long, and have

it arranged so that there are little holes be-
tween.

A Delegate: How would the wire trays do
such as are used in a drier? '

Mr. Milco: I don't know as that would be
as good, because the wire may have some influ-
ence from rust or something of that kind. I
would rather recommend boards if you can't
get the basket material. Spread the figs one
after the other. Do not put two together
so that they will touch each other, but aive
them plenty of room. "

Mr. Smith: What would be the objection to
using trays we have for drying raisins on?

Mr, Milco: I think they will answer every
purpose. If you have your figs out on the
trays about five o'clock in the afternoon in
August or September, they should be covered
or taken in to prevent dew falling on them, or
your tigs may mold and will be soft.

A Delegate : What is the necessity if you
have no dew?

Mr. Milco: If you have no dew you need not
protect them, and if you can cure raisins with-
out covering them you can dry figs in the same
way. Another difficulty in drying a fig in
this country is we have so many wasps and bees
and all sorts of insects, and flies, and the fig be-
ing so sweet the wasps and bees and other in-
sects swarm around them. The best thing I
can think of is to have a covering of wire, so
that the insects cannot get to the fruit, and the
rays of the sun could go right through into the
fruit.

Mr. Sallee: Did you ever try the oiled paper
over figs in drying? This year the McPhersons
are drying almost all their raisins under oiled
paper, and the heat is greater. In fact, it is too
great for the grapes when they are first put out,
Mr, Milco: I think it requires the sun: the
heat alone will not answer. During the State
Fair we had some dried figs and there was a man
from Oregon who had a drier, and he wanted
to try some of the White Adriatic to see
whether he could dry them in his drier, I
gave him half a dozen of them. He dried them
and brought them back. They were no ac-
count in the world. They were black— some-
thing like those figs over here that Mr. Eisen
sent. Mr. Eisen has the genuine White Adri-
atic fig, but the samples he shows are too dark
for the White Adriatic. The treatment he
gave them is something that made them too
dark for a white fig. I attributed it to some-
thing of that sort. In tasting the figs that this
man put in the drier, they retained all the
milky taste of the fig. They were worthless;
you could not use them at all. For that reason
I think the rays of the sun are necessary to
take that milk out of the fig, to perfect the
the drying. Another thing: about every
other day each one of the figs has to
be turned over, and just as soon as
the last spot of green disappears, and the fi^
appears perfectly white, then they are ready
to take indoors. After they are taken in we
take a large kettle of boiling sea water and
using a perforated bucket we place quite 10 or
15 pounds of the figs at a time in the bucket
and dip them into the boiling water for a sec-
ond or two and instantly turn it right over and
spread them over the trays, the same as before,
and almost instantly they are dry. The mix-
ture don't stick to them at all, and in the
course of a day or so after the air strikes them

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

they are ready to be packed away. We packed
them in almost all different styles, but I think
the best way to do it is to pack it in tin cans.

Mr. Smith : Do you think common salt
water would do the same thing as sea water ?

Mr. Milco : I think it would, but it might
be better to get some chemist to give you the
proportions to make it nearly the composition of
sea water.

A Delegate : How long a time does it re-
quire to dry ?

Mr. Milco : In the early part of the season,
in August 1 think, it would take about six
days, but later on it requires a little more
sometimes; it will take from 10 to 12 or 14 days
to be completely dried.

Mr. Garey : To my mind the process Mr.
Milco gives will have to be improved upon or
we wouldn't want to go into fig culture.

Mr. Milco: My idea is that if something
were done in the shape of that box that our
friend sent out from the East (the "ripe fruit
carrier"), with little partitions of wire gauze so
that each partition would be placed in a differ-
ent place the sun could strike from all sides
of it, and we could just turn the package right
over, and it would obviate all this trouble; but
the figs have to be handled very carefully.

Mr. Smith: I see there is an objection
raised to turning over, which I don't think
amounts to anything. You take the empty
tray and put it on another tray and turn it
over, and you can do it just as well. I do not
see why they should be handled any more care -
fully than raisins, and we turn raisins in that
way.

Mr. Milco: But the grapes are very tough,
and the figs are very tender.

A Delegate: Do figs get wormy as do other
dried fruits?

Mr. Milco: Yes; for that reason they should
be dipped in salt water. That is thought to
kill all in&ect germs that may be deposited on
them, and in the meantime it prevents insects
from coming. They don't like salt, as a rule,
and for quite a while there is a little taste of
salt about it — not enough to be disagreeable —
but after a month you would find them the
most delicious fruit you ever tasted. Another
thing I want to say, as a fruit-grower, that no
matter what you put up in dried fruit do not
send anything to market in a loose way, but
brand with your name and the place where it is
grown, and then if you have built up a name for
your fruit, people will know where it comes
from and send for it. My advice is never to
imitate any one else. Always try to improve
on what has been done, and that is the best
plan I can give you, so far as the fig is con-
cerned. If the black California fig is treated
in the same manner as the White Adriatic you
will find that instead of bringing three or four
cents a pound in San Francisco, you can get
eight cents a pound for it, and most likely
more.

A Delegate: How about the destruction by
birds?

Mr. Milco: I would go to work and plant a
good many mulberry trees, and you will find
the birds will go and feed on the mulberry
trees in the first part of the season and go
away and leave you and the figs alone.

Mr. Garey: We are very much interested in
this fig question, and feel very favorably to the
White Adriatic from what we know and hear.

Mr. Eisen exhibited some at the State Horti-
cultural Fair a few weeks ago, that were very
much admired and created quite a sensation.
If it should turn out that the fig produced but
one crop a year, that would be decidedly
against it. If it bears throughout the season it
may be called one crop, but I think on general
principles it may be considered that it is a con-
tinuous crop right along. If this fig does that
it would be a great point in its favor. We
would like to know that.

Mr. Milco: That is just exactly the state of
things.

Irrigating the Fig.

Mr. Garey: Another thing that enters largely
into the matter. I do not think you can ever
make a success of fig culture for commercial
purposes in Southern California without an
ample supply of water for irrigation. I under-
stand that Dr. Eisen has been writing on the
subject and defending the planting of this Adri-
atic fig in any season; that it can be success-
fully produced without irrigation. Now, I
think in this country the party who under-
takes that will make a failure of the business.
Our first figs are produced on the old wood,
quite early in the season. A few of them are
very large and fine, then those that are not so
large, are very abundant. If we do not have
an ample supply of water to irrigate the first
crop, and perhaps the second, is all we get; the
balance dry up and drop off. But if we have
plenty of water we keep them bearing until
the frost comes.

Mr. Milco: When I stated that there was
only one crop, I n.eant to say that from the
time it commences to ripen until the frost
comes it is continually ripening, so that you
can get ripe figs every day.

Mr. Chubb: And in the aggregate yields aa
many figs as the two crops.

Mr. Milco: I do not know of any other fig
that will produce anything so much as this fig.

Mr. W. M. Williams, of Fresno: Some three
years ago I got from Mr. Milco a lot of cuttings
from a fig which he said had come from Dal-
matia, giving him $97 for all the cuttings I
could carry; I had a greenhouse and when I
got home I cut those up, and out of that lot I
had 1800 trees. The first year they grew from
four to seven feet. I had also the Black Cali-
fornia, and I was very anxious when the
fall of the year came, because we do have a
little frost even in semi-tropical Fresno that
might kill the figs, but any way I let them
grow. The frost bit my Black California, but
my Adriatic came out unscathed by cold. I
started them in the greenhouse until one little
bud made its appearance — in other words I
"calloused" them — I really did not start them
in the greenhouse; only once in a while you
would see a white root. That fall I cut off
everything but one straight stock, and this
year I started 8000 from the cuttings of that
lot, perhaps planting 20 acres myself of them,
planting them not closer than 25 feet. They
are very vigorous growers, the fruit is excellent
either green or dried,

A Delegate: What time should the cuttings
be started ?

Mr. Williams: That is owing entirely to the
season. After they lose the leaves I would cut
them immediately, and I put mine in the green-
house as soon as I cut them and started them.
But I think they ought to be cut and kept

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

damp until along in February if you propose
starting from the cuttings in the open ground.
Mr. Hixson: I became very much afflicted
with the fig fever some 3 or four years ago and
made the assertion that I believed the fig
would be the coming fruit, the next fruit that
would have a boom. They made so much fun
of me that I began to be rather sick, but I got
my friend Smith over th"re to believe it too,
and said I would abide by his judgment. Then
I kept looking to see what kind of a fig would
answer the purpose and carry out my idea that
the fig was going to be the thing. When I
was going East four years ago, a man
from Healdsburg sent down a box of figs as a
sample to know whether I considered* it nec-
essary for him to sort them out. They were
just put in as they came. He said it was a
fair sample but some were light color and others
were dark. I suppose it was in consequence
of the manner in which they were handled.
As Mr. Milco said perhaps all the milky sub-
stance was not dried out, before they turned
them over, to properly cure them. Those that
were ripe came so near the regular Smyrna fig,
that when I was going East I had two little
narrow boxes which I carried in my pockets and
had a package of prunes in one and the fig in
the other. I would show them on the railroad
and when I got to New York, I went into a
house there, and talked on the subject of the
prunes. I thought I was going to create a
sensation there with the big prunes. The man
looked at them, and picked up the fig and said,
"That is the thing to bring the money; now you
are on the right track; that comes pretty near
being the thing," and told me how to make a
little improvement ; ought to dip them into sea
water, and make the skins tender, so then I had
another man to sustain me in my judgment be-
sides Mr. Smith.

Icame back home, and I think at the next meet-
ing of the State Society I met Mr. Milco, and
saw this fig, and I took a great deal of interest
in it, and I think it certainly is the fig for Cali-
fornia, and, if I am not very much mistaken,
the fig is the thing that we want to plant. We
do not want to quit everything else, to dig up
orange orchards and plant figs, because there is
so much of this country that can raise figs which
cannot raise oranges. An important point in
the matter of the fig culture is that the valua-
tion of the fruit where it is grown with the duty
added amounts to 10 cents a pound, so that
would be the valuation at the custom house: 10
cents a pound. If we don't come quite up to
that and could get seven or eight cents a pound
it certainly would be a very valuable crop. We
have been trying all this year to get figs. We
had two customers that wanted each a carload
of figs; one was willing to pay 15 to 20 cents a
pound for a grade of figs that was manipulated
so as to come up to a certain standard. The
other was willing to pay from seven to nine
cents for the fig that would come up to his stan-
dard. Of course one wanted what we call a ma-
nipulated, or rather cured fig, taken through a
process of sea water, etc.; the other wanted just
a dried fig, such as we get in San Francisco in
in sacks, worth about two and a-half or three
cents at the present time. I have been unable
to get them. We have recently sent on proba-
bly as much as 4000 or 5000 pounds; I have

written many letters on the subject but we
never have succeeded in getting a great quan-

tity. I do not suppose you could get to-day in
San Francisco a carload of figs.

In regard to shipping the ripe fig: we made
probably three or four shipments last year. I
believe they all came from Vacaville; some
were shipped in 10-pound cherry drawers, and
they were three deep in the drawers. They
were all rotten. 1 do not believe you could
get one you could sell. A few lots were put on
trays without being piled up, and they came
through in very nice condition, and were
snatched up at once. I do not remember the
price, but it seemed like a tremendous price to
us, and it was very evident to my mind that a
liberal supply would sell very readily at good
prices. If we get the refrigerating cars that
will keep an even temperature, then we can
carry the figs very well, and I think Mr. Milco'a
fig, judging from what a tention I have given
it, would carry more safely than any of the
black figs we have.

Mr. Loop: Is this fig, in your estimation,
equal or superior to the white fig of commerce?

Mr. Hixson: I could not tell. I never saw
any of these dried. I think the fig that I saw
Mr. Milco have down to the fair, when dried,
was as fine in point of texture and the gelatin-
ous piatter, or whatever you call it, and in
richness, as any fig we have imported. They
were not put up quite as nice, of course.

Budding the Pig.

Mr. Gray: I would like to ask if any one has-
had any success in grafting the fig.

Mr. Smith, of Vacaville: I have had some ex-
perience in budding the fig; very little in graft-
ing. It is rather a difficult tree to graft, from
the fact that the wood is very soft and pithy.

Dr. Chubb : Dr. Congar's machine will graft
anything.

Mr. Smith : I never tried that. You can-
not take ofl the bud, as with the peach bud or
the pear bud, and insert it in the same way.
You must cut the ring right around the limb,
say from three-fourths of an inch to an inch
long, with the bud on it. Then take off another
ring of bark from a limb of the same size; open
the ring which has the bud you want and slip
it into tha . cut and bind it around with cloth,
covering it up to exclude the air. There is one
precaution you must take. When you cut into
a fig limb when the sap is up, the sap will ex-
ude from the limb. You must cut off your
bark with the ring in it and you whip off the
limb, leaving the stock where you insert your
bud, and then insert the bud. In this way you
can bud quite successfully; otherwise you will
fail almost every time. The reason is this :
that the milky substance that exudes from the
limb or bark seems to sour and poisons the
sap when it comes up the stock and prevents
the bud from uniting with the limb, whereas by
this treatment it does not poison the sap, and
the ascending sap will unite with the sap of the
bud.

New Fruits.

While I am on the floor there is one other
thing I wish to mention. Mr. Milco referred
to it somewhat and I desire to emphasize it,
and that is, in buying new varieties of fruit
never buy many of them at a time until you
know what it is. You can afford to buy one or
two and pay a high price for it, which you are
almost sure to do in buying any new variety
that springs up. Now, I have been hunting

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

for a csrtain kind of peach for the last ten
years — have bought almost everything in the
way of peach that has been brought out in the
United States and even Europe — and nearly
one-half of the time I will not have a new
peach but something I have had in bearing on
iihe place a number of years under a new name.
If anything new comes up and you want it buy a
few and prove it before you go into it to any
extent. I have about 65 varieties of peaches
on my place that I am testing, and I will say
"(that one-half of those are old peaches that have
been in cultivation a good while, sprung up un-
der new names by someone who wanted to
make money. A tree or two is sufficient to
test a new variety. Prove it on your own
place, and then if it is worthy of propagation,
you have plenty of time to go to work and
propagate them.

Mr. Gray: Speaking about shipping figs, I
had an order last year from up in the moun-
tains. They must have some figs. I put him
up a box of green figs. He came down in a
couple of weeks and said they had all rotted.
He wanted me to try it again. I went and
picked some that had begun to wilt a little and
packed them in a 10 pound box, four deep, and
in between the layers two or three thicknesses
of paper, and put up three or four boxes. He
took them in a lumber wagon for five days go-
ing up, and when he came down he reported
that every fig was in good condition when he
got there. They were the California fig. I
think that picked at just a certain stage they
can be carried to Chicago perfectly well; cer-
tainly if they were put up in packages not so
deep.

As to peaches, last year at the horticultural
meeting we had quite a nice discussion upon
new peaches that had been propagated in differ-
ent parts of the State, and created quite an in-
terest. We had one peach which came to us
by accident this year, and I would like to
speak of it. It was an apricot tree that was
budded on a peach and broken off', and the
sprout came up, and we trimmed it and let it
stand right there. I forgot all about the tree
until the day before Grant was buried. I hap-
pened to be going through the orchard and
there was this tree loaded with a very large
yellow peach, freestone, and I think the largest
peach I ever saw. I think that was really the
shape of the orange cling, though a good deal
larger than they usually get. It was very yel-
low with a reddish cheek, very solid meat, free-
stone and small pit. I think it is going to be a
very valuable peach.

A Delegate: How is it compared to the Sol-
way?

Mr. Gray: It is a very much better peach
than the Solway. I think it is a little earlier,
perhaps a week. It is a seedling we know. It
is a sprout that came up from the root. We had
a few trees that we called the St. John; perhaps
some here know more about that than I do, but
I believe .that we haven't anything growing
now that is nearly equal to it. It ripens very
soon after the Crawford's Late, and is very
near the size and shape of an orange cling.

Mr. Smith: I think you have something else
than the St. John. The St. John, properly
■speaking, is the earliest yellow peach in culti-
vation in the United States. Some gentleman
asks for the best two varieties for canning. If
I were going to plant two peaches for canning

of those which are generally known and in ex-
tensive cultivation, I would take the Susque-
hanna and the Solway. I do not know
whether they would suit your part of the State
or not, but they come nearer filling the bill in
our part of the State than any peaches we have
got.

Mr. Williams: Have you tried any of the
Sellers?

Mr. Smith: Yes, sir, I have — both Seller's
cling and Seller's free; also the Muir. I think
that is the best drying peach in the market.

The Muir Peach.

Mr. Webb: The manager of Mr. Lusk's can-
ning establishment told me that they would
give one quarter of a cent a pound more for the
Muir than any other peach for canning pur-
poses. They say that the reason for it is its
marvelous sweetness. It has more sugar in it
than any other peach.

Mr. Smith: The Muir peach is a new peach,
which is propagated only in our section of the
country. It is as I said the finest drying
peach in the market. I will give you my rea-
sons, and I believe you will agree that they
are good- It is a perfect freestone; the pit
is very small — as small a pit as you will see
in any peach of good size; and instead of turn-
ing to a dark color when it dries in the sun, it
will gradually become whiter as it gets drier,
a property I never saw in any other peach in
my life, and I have been drying peaches for 25
years, more or less. It is very dry of itself; it
is very fine meated; you take a knife and cut
it open, and it will slip through like a hot
knife. These are all good qualities in any
peach. It is nearly the color of a lemon; it
really ought to be called the Lemon free.
Where they are exposed to the sun they have a
little red blush. The peach has some objec-
tions, or rather the tree has. About one third
of the crop will be inferior in size, while the
other two-thirds will be full sizad. Another
objection to the tree is, that it is hard to man-
age in the orchard. The brush is very fine,
and it is not a rapid grower. The leaves
are quite small and very much softened about
the edge.

A Delegate: Other things being equal, which
is to be preferred — the free or the cling for can-
ning?

Mr. Smith: My opinion is that the cling-
stone will eventually be the canning peach, for
as a rule clingstone peaches are firmer than
freestones, and now there are being machines
invented that will pit clingstone peaches as
quickly as you can pit freestone peaches. If
you want to plant now for canning in the
future, I would plant one-half of the orchard in
cling'stone peaches, anyway. The sweetness of
the Muir peach has been spoken of: it is a very
sweet peach — more so than usual. I have a
cling peach, yellow, almost as round as an or-
ange, no red about the pit. The pit is very
small and is very similar to that on the outside.
That is a sweeter peach and cans better than
any peach I ever saw; it is a clingstone peach,
and when it becomes known it is going to be
one of the leading peaches for canning. I don't
know of anybody else that has it but my-
self and the old lady that I got the buds from
near Napa City: an old lady named Porter, and
the peach is named Porter. It was an old
seedling tree in her yard.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

A Delegate: Will you mention other clings
for canning?

Mr. Smith: If I were going to select two
cling peaches for canning, I would take what
we know as the Sacramento river orange cling,
or the Runyon orange cling, or the Canada
cling, or the California, and there you have
three or four different names for one and the
^ame peach: I will mention that as one peach
for canning. For a yellow cling I would men-
tion the Tippacanoe; I know nothing better of
yellow clings for canning than those two. Now,
I have another, a white-fleshed peach that I
got from Texas, one of the finest flavored
peaches I ever tasted, and being a white peach
would be fine for canning were it not that it
has a little red pit and when you cook it every
bit of it goes to the syrup and colors it. That
is a serious objection to it.

As to the fig, I suppose there is no place that
grows more than Vacaville; the first figs that
go to the San Francisco market go from my
neighborhood; the principal one in cultivation
is the common California blue fig: a fig, I sup-
pose, the old Spanish fathers introduced into
this country when they first came here, the
same as they introduced the common Mission
grape. We have no fig that does better than
that does, and no other figs that pay us so well.
We are certain of two crops and when we have
a late warm autumn we get three, and a man
that gets three crops on a piece of land is pretty
apt to get a good one. The first crop we take
to the market fresh, the second and third crop
we dry the most of, and put into the market
as dry figs. The first crop grows so large that
we cannot dry them.

A Delegate: How do you gather the figs off
of those large trees ?

Mr. Smith: We have stepladders eighteen
or twenty feet long, and we get up and gather
all we can in that way; the second crop we
usually let dry and drop off, and pick them
up off the ground. We have tested several
other kinds of figs in our section of the coun-
try, with a view of getting something better
than the common California fig: as yet we
have not succeeded. We are trying to get a
few that we can grow and pack, or put up in
the same style or that will answer the pur
pose of the real imported Smyrna fig. We
want to see if we can't equal those, or surpass
them if possible, but as yet we have not found
the fig that will do it, unless Mr. Milco's White
Adriatic will fill the bill. Gentlemen, I am
satisfied of the value of the fig, and I will cor
roborate what Mr. Hixson said awhile ago :
there is no one tree we can plant in any section
of this State where the fig does well, that we
can make more money out of and make it
easier than we can out of the fig.

Mr. Hatch : I want to say a few words
about the Muir peach. I want to speak a good
word for it. When it was introduced I planted
several in my place, and I was out in the or-
chard when peaches of that variety were ripen-
ing, and when I found the peaches on the young
trees I said to myself, I wish all of my peaches
were Muirs, for different reasons. In the first
place, on account of the seed, a small pit about
the size of the first joint of your little finger,
with a very slight pink tint; another thing, Mr.
Prather, often a buyer for A. Lusk & Co., of
Temescal, said, in a fruit convention in San
Francisco lately, that it was the best peach

they ever had to can, one peculiar characteristic
being that the cooking never mushed it. In
that respect it is similar to a cling, and, being
so easy to remove from the stone without waste,
is preferable to the cling.

A Delegate : Does the leaf curl ?
Mr. Hatch : Not to my knowledge. I have
never seen them curl. I have only had them
two seasons. In regard to the growth, I was
surprised to hear Mr. Smith say the wood was
willowy and the leaves small. It is not so with
me. It has good growth, large stock and large
leaves, and is a very thrifty, good growing tree.
Trees planted from dormant buds last winter,
starting the year ago last spring, are higher
than I can reach this way, with a spread as
wide, and this year produced some peaches, but
not many. Another thing in regard to the fruit
is that most peaches when over-ripe become
distasteful. I found these peaches on my trees
almost drying up they were so ripe — so ripe
they were very soft, and yet the taste was de-
licious, something very peculiar in a yellow
peach.

While I have the floor, I want to say some-
thing in regard to the general subject in dis
cussion to-night, which, I believe, is in regard
to such fruits that have not been overdone, or
for which there is apparently an unlimited de-
mand. There is a kind which will require to
be put in good packages, which can be produced
in every locality in the State, for which there
is no end to the demand. I was in hopes you
would ask me what kind of fruit it is. It is
any fruit which you can produce better than any
other in the locality in which you live; grow
that and put it in good packages, there is no
end to the demand for it.

Mr. Wilcox : One thing in reply to Mr.
Williams. I can answer about the Seller's
peach; that peach was originated by my wife's
sister, Mrs. Sellers. There are two kinds, the
freestone and the clingstone, and they are re-
garded as a very superior peach. The few that
were raised four or five years ago sold to the
San Jose cannery, and the next year the entire
crop of about an acre sold for four cents a
pound.

Mr. Shinn: A few words in regard to the
Muir peach : I was assured by a very reliable
gen leman, two years ago, that it has a prop-
erty which has not been mentioned here to-
night, and is certainly the most valuable prop-
erty that it has. That whereas jn ordinary
freestone peaches it requires six or seven pounds
of green fruit to produce a pound of dried,
the Muir peach will produce a pound of dried
peaches from four pounds. That is a very im-
portant point. In reference to the Sellers
peach, I procured the original buds from the
sister of Mr. Wilcox, in Contra Costa county.
The peach was sent to me as a very valuable
one and I was requested to enter upon the cul-
ture of it, and I did so, and saw at the moment
that it was a very valuable one. I wrote to
know all about it before I would have anything
to do with it, and the lady said that all she
knew of it was that there is a stray tree in the
pasture growing without cultivation, with no
attention paid to it, and it always grew large
valuable peaches; the canners always thought
very highly of it, and she said she was always
persecuted for buds because it was large, and
because by the time that the pit is extracted,
by the machinery that is now used for the pur-

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

pose, there will scarcely be a line of red upon
it, and of course they liked it on that account.
Now it is worth while to say, after all the consul-
tation I have had with the canning factories, and
their secretaries and their presidents, with ref-
erence to peaches, that upon the whole they
prefer the yellow peach ; that is, they want
more of them, but they do want a white peach;
they consider it of the greatest importance to
find one that is white to the pit, and until the
McKevitt peach was found, I know of none that
was a good peach and didn't curl.

Mr. Webb: How does it compare with the
Lyon cling that was exhibited last year by Mr.
Williams of Fresno ?

Mr. Shinn: I do not remember. I have
paid great attention to peaches, and if I were
to advise anyone in reference to planting
peaches, I would give the same advice that has
been given to you, plant such as succeed well in
your neighborhood, avoid all that are liable to
curl, no matter what other qualities they may
have. It ought to be said that most of the can-
ners that I have anything to do with say that
they do not like the Solway peach. The Sus-
quehanna is certainly equal to the very best for
canning. Everybody knows that the Crawford
Early is a very popular peach, and so is the
Foster, but it should be remembered that they
ripen so nearly together and a person planting
is not obliged to plant both for a succession.
He had better not do so, and it is my opmion
that the Foster is preferable to the other. I
am not speaking as a nurseryman but as a fruit
grower, and I have been growing fruit for
29 years. The Crawford late has many of the
best qualities of a peach, but it will curl three
years out of four. The Crawford early has
been so long in cultivation that it is but reason-
able to suppose that some of its good qualities
have run out. One fault is that it is inclined
to grow double. It has been grown from bud
to bud generation after generation, and it is but
reasonable that it should degenerate some —
still it does not curl, therefore it is valuable.
But the Foster being a new peach about the
same size, I believe it is preferable to plant.
The important point, if you are going to plant
peaches, is to avoid those that curl, and
endeavor to have a succession in the time of
ripening. You cannot go earlier with yellow
peaches than the Foster, for the early St. John,
though a good peach, is not desirable.

Mr. Milco: I want to ask you something
about Shinn's early white peach.

Mr, Shinn: It is worth nothing. It is a
nice peach in itself, but it has a tint that is ob-
jectionable. The white tinted peaches are very
much more liable to curl as a rule than the yel-
low peaches.

The Adaptations of Varieties.
Dr Chapin: I do not lay claim to being an
extensive peach grower, but I desire to call at-
tention to this fact which is one of the most
important ones in this whole discussion of
fruits. Taking the peach, for instance, we
must be extremely careful how we plant upon
the assumption that any one particular variety
or 2 or 3 particular varieties are adapted to
every locality where peaches are grown. Some
of the peaches that have been named by Mr.
Smith this evening as being extremely well
adapted to his locality, to Vaca valley, are
utterly worthless in many other localities of

the State, and it would not be wise for you to
plant upon that assumption. The peach of
many names, which he has given to you to
night, (the Edwards Cling, the California
Cling and many other names attached to that
one peach), in Santa Clara valley is a perfect
failure. I have planted it from buds and dor-
mant buds and the tree itself is a very serious
failure, has a curled leaf and the fruit is very
inferior indeed. I have made experiments
with quite a large number of peaches, with a
view of finding a few good peaches for family
use in the portion of the Santa Clara valley in
which I reside. It is not a peach locality and
it is useless to attempt to grow peaches for
market purposes in such localities. The best
success that I have had has been with certain
California seedlings. I may mention that among
the very choicest of those has been the Seller's
Cling; the McKevitt Cling and another, the
Wilcox Cling or the Albright Cling from Plac-
erville in El Dorado county. Another ^peach
which is proven to be one of the very choicest
for canning purposes is not known generally in
the State, but it has been put up this season by
the Yuba City Packing Co., a new cannery
establishment in Sutter county: it is the
Tustin Cling, and some cans sent to me by
one of the stockholders, when turned out on
the table proved to be the very choicest peach
that I ever saw put in a can by any packing
company in the world, and that is saying a
great deal. I might speak of some other
peaches. As to the Muir, that peach, with me,
has not been a great success. I have it in two
dififerent portions of my orchard, and right by
the side of it in one portion stands a seedling
peach tree of very similar character to that as
to color and other qualities — the same peculiar
appearance of the lemon color and whiteness.
It is called the orange peach, and it originated
with Mr. Loomis, in the Santa Cruz mountains.
He gave me buds, and I have fruited that
right by the side of the other and it was a su-
perior peach to the Muir. It is one of the
finest peaches for drying purposes; and Mr.
Loomis told me, when he gave me the buds
three years ago, that the retixrns from that
were a little better than that of the Muir peach
in drying. That peach, I am satisfied, will be-
come one of the most valuable ever planted in
California, as I also regard the Muir to be one
of the most valuable peaches we have, and
from which the best results are to be obtained.
I believe these seedling peaches that are
are gradually discovered in various portions of
the State (and some of which have not yet
been heard of) and which have been found
to be extremely valuable in a homestead in a
single place, by the family where they origin-
ate, one by one will come to light and be-
come disseminated throughout the State, and
the good qualities gradually become known. A
very choice white cling peach, perfectly white
to the pit and very similar to the peach that
Mr. Williams spoke of last year is to be found
in Porterville, Tulare county; it is known there
as the "Sheep's Head," merely a local name
for it. The farmer raising the peach don't
know anything about it, excepting that it is a
very fine peach . I might go through this to
considerable extent and name seedling peaches
that I have discovered through the different
portions of the State, and many of them will
become gradually known; and I am satisfied

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

that, in the coursd of a iew years, we will have
discovered for all the various localities of the
State the fruits that are best adapted to them,
and then we can arrive at the conclusion as to
what will be the best fruit to plant in a certain
locality, and we can not do it in any other way.

A Delegate: Has this peach a blush to it?

Dr. Chapin: Very little; that is, only in
the skin— not a particle in the flesh. It is
an oblong peach with rather a broad and flattish
stem, under a pointed sort of a nose that some-
what resembles a sheep's head. Something
was mentioned as regards the size of the fig
tree. One of the largest fig trees in this State
is on the ground of the Hon. Henry Wilson, a
a member of our board, in Tehama county. At
Snelling, in Merced county, can be seen quite a
large number together of the very largest fig
trees in this State. There are several trees
there in the orchard of Mr. Kelsey, in Snelling,
that the spread of the limbs would be a great
deal more than the length of this hall.

Mr. Webb: Mr. Wilson, you cut down one
of those trees; how much cord wood did you
get out of it?

Mr. Wilson: Sixteen cords of stove wood.

The Fruit Union.

The resolutions ofifered by the committee on
Fruit Union are here presented and adopted as
read:

Resolved, That the California Fruit Growers'
Union is, in our opinion, destined to be ot incalcu-
lable advantage to the interest of the fruit-growers of
this State, and that the gentlemen who have given
their time and labor to bring about that Union are
deserving of gratitude from the fruit-growers of the
whole State of California.

Resolved, That it is the sense of this committee
that the interest of the fruit-growers of Southern
California for the time being will best be served by
the incorporation of a local org.inization.

Resolved, That this committee recommend the
Board of Directors of such local organizition when
formed to consult with the directors of the California
Fruit Union to the end that both companies may
act in harmony and to their mutual advantage.

O. H. CONGAK,

J AS. Bettner,
S. W. Preble,
Abbot Kinney,
Thos. A. Garey,

The convention here adjourned until to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock.

Reports on Fruit Exhibits.

At the afternoon session of the fourth day,
reports of committees on fruit exhibits made
during the convention were received. Mr.
Garey presented the report of the committee on
citrus fruit exhibits as follows:

To the State Fruit-Growers^ Convention : —
We, your committee on citrus fruits, beg leave
to report that we have examined the exhibits
in Agricultural hall, and find the following
localities represented by the citizens hereinafter
mentioned. The display is, considering the
season, highly meritorious, and reflects great
credit on Southern California and the enter-
prising gentlemen making the exhibits from
the several localities :

Santa Barbara — Elwood Cooper exhibits 1
plate Mexican limes; 1 branch olives; 1 bottle
olive oil, his own manufacture from the olives,
very clear and of first quality; 2 plates and 1
■box seedling lemons; specimens green oranges.

Los Angeles — A. Weis, Alameda street, 1

banana plant with green fruit and bloom; 3
plates seedling oranges. J. W. Wolf skill, Ala-
meda street: 1 plate WolfskiU's best oranges;
1 plate Tangerine oranges; 1 plate Mandarin
oranges; 1 plate paper rind St. Michael oranges;
1 plate large St. Michael oranges; 1 plate Rivers'
late St. Michael oranges; 1 plate myrtle leaf St.
Michael oranges; 1 plate Washington Navel or-
anges; 1 plate Dwarf Mandarin oranges; 1 plate
Variegated oranges; 1 plate Japanese oranges;
1 plate Seedling oranges; 1 plate Bouton lemon;
1 plate Eureka lemon; 1 plate Villa Franco
lemon; 1 plate Anatie lemon; 1 plate Bonny
Broy lemon; 1 plate Genoa lemon; 1 plate Im-
perial limes; 1 plate Mexican limes; 1 plate
Sweet limes. Mrs. W, D. Bigelow : 1 box seed-
ling oranges; 1 bunch green dates; this is a re-
markable production, adding one more to the
long list of our productive possibilities in
Southern California. William Niles, Washing-
ton street : 2 plates seedling oranges. A. F.
Kercheval : 2 plates Mexican limes. A.
Pratt, Lemon street : 1 box Mexican limes. F.
M. Trapp : 1 cluster seedling oranges; 1 box
seedling oranges; 1 box Mexican limes. H.
Preston : 2 large and fine clusters seedling or-
anges; 1 display citron of commerce. C. R.
Workman, Lemon street : 1 cluster Eureka
lemons, very fine; 1 cluster seedling oranges; 1
cluster Wolfskin's Bsst; 2 plates from the
original tree Eureka lemon; seed imported from
Hamburg, Germany, in 1872, only one seed
growing, from which buds were put on orange
stock. This is the famous Eurtka lemon
named and introduced to the public and dis
seminated exclusively by Thomas A. Garey
Mr. Gilda, Macy street : 1 plate pear guava,
Dr. M. McCarry, superb cluster of seedling or
anges. I. W. Hooper : 3 plates seedling or
anges; 1 plate Navel oranges; 1 plate Mediter
renean Sweet oranges. Geo. J. Dalton : 1
large fine cluster seedling oranges.

Orange — Joel B. Parker: 2 plates Mexican
limes; 1 box Mexican limes; 1 box paper rind
St. Michael oranges; 1 box Lisbon lemons. Dr.
0. P. Chubb: 1 cluster Mediterranean Sweet
oranges, season of 1884 85; 1 cluster season of
1885-86; 1 plate Mediterranean Sweet, sea-
son of 1883 84; 1 plate Mexican limes; 1
plate Washington Navel oranges.

Anaheim — Leonard Parker: 2 plates seedling
oranges; 1 cluster Mediterranean Sweet oranges;
1 plate seedling lemons; 1 plate Lisbon lemons.

Pasadena — Dr. O. H. Congar: 1 box Lisbon
lemons; specimens of Eureka lemons. Lyman
Craig: 1 plate Eureka lemons: D. M. Graham:
1 plate of strawberry guava. M. Rosenbaum:
1 plate Sicily seedling lemons.

Crescenta Canada— Theodore Parker: 2 plates
seedling oranges.

Downey — Robert Bed well: 2 plates seedling
oranges; 1 plate seedling lemons; 1 plate Mexi-
can limes; 1 plate Tahi i oranges,

Alhambra — T. D. Kellogg: 1 plate guavas; 1
plate seedling oranges, season 1884. F. Ed-
ward Gray: 1 plate Chinese Mandarin
oranges; 1 plate JVlexican limes; 1 plate
lemon guavas. A. C. Weeks: 1 plate Sa-
truma Hill glove oranges; 1 cluster oranges;
1 plate seedling oranges; 1 plate Eu-
reka lemons. G. B. Adams: 1 plate Chinese
Mandarin; 1 plate seedling oranges; 1 cluster
oranges; 1 plate Wasfiington Navel oranges; 1
cluster Washington Navel oranges. R. T.
Bishop: 1 plate seedling oranges; 1 plate Wash-

7°

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

ington Navel oranges; 1 plate Eureka lemons.
J. C. Byram: 1 plate seedling oranges, season
1884. S. B. Kingsley: 1 plate Washington
Navel oranges; 1 cluster seedling oranges; 1
plate seedling lemons.

Duarte — W. P. Wright: 1 box Mexican
limes. (These limes are of exceeding good
quality, clean, bright and of large size.) 1 box
Washington Navel oranges. A. Boddy: 1 plate
lemons; 1 plate Hornet oranges; Wilson's best
oranges; 1 cluster; 1 plate seedling lemons.

La Dow (south of Los Angeles) — 1 plate
seedling oranges produced without irrigation.

Glendale (north of Los Angeles) — 2 plates
Mexican limes, very fine, good quality; 1 box
limes, 1 cluster oranges, seedlings, clean and
bright.

Pomona — Rev. C. F. Loop: 1 plate Mexican
limes, 3 plates seedling oranges, 1 plate all first-
class lemons. H. G. Bennett — 1 cluster Wash-
ington Navel oranges. James Smith — 1 cluster
seedling oranges, 1 plate seedling limes, 1 plate
seedling lemons. S. Duton — 1 plate Mediterra-
nean sweet oranges, season of 1884. D. N.
Graham — 1 plate strawberry guava.

Santa Ana — 3 plates seedling oranges, 3 clus-
ters seedling oranges, 1 plate lemons, 1 cluster
oranges from two year-old tree. H. Goepper
— 1 bunch green dates.

Tustin — H. K. Snow: 1 plate Washington
Navel oranges, 1 plate Thomas oranges, 1 plate
seedling oranges, 2 plates Genoa lemons, 1 plate
Eureka lemons, 2 plates seedling oranges, sam-
ples of seedlings, Washington Navel and Medi-
terranean sweet oranges, season of 1884. P. T.
Adams — 1 plate Mandarin oranges. A. Guy
Smith — Box seedling oranges, picked when
quite green, evened up nicely.

In closing this report we desire to state the
phenomenal bright and clean appearance of the
Los Angeles and vicinity citrus fruits. Los
Angeles has earned the unenviable reputation
of a "trade mark" caused by the black and un-
presentable appearance of the fruit in many in-
stances in the market.

The fruit on exhibition we find exceedingly
clean and presentable in general appearance,
comparing most favorably with the oranges
from Duarte and other well-known first-class
orange-growing sections of Southern California.
Why this is so, can in a measure, at least, be
accounted for by the increased vigilance of our
orange-growers and the better and more thor-
ough care of orange orchards induced by the
advent of the scale bug here, and compulsory
need of cleaning and caring for the orchards.
Respectfully submitted,

Thos. a, Garey, Los Angeles,
James Bettner, Riverside,
G. M. Gray Chico.

Report on Deciduous Fruits.

Mr. Sol. Runyon presented the report of
committee on deciduous fruits, as follows :

We, your committee, beg leave to report that
we have examined the display of deciduous
fruit in Horticultural hall, believe that in merit
it stands superior to any exhibit hitherto made
in this locality, and highly creditable to the
southern portion of the State. Many of the
specimens exhibited were of unusual interest.
We deem the display of White Winter Pear-
main apples worthy of especial mention. The
display from Downey were very fine in size.
The following is the detailed report :

Downey — A. E. Davis: 3 plates White Winter
Pearmain. J. P. Dickerson — 1 plate Smith's
Cider. Wm. Caruther — 1 plate Ben Davis ; 2
plates Roxbury Russet ; 1 plate Baldwin ; 1
Yellow Bellflower; 1 Yellow Newton Pippin; 2
plates Easter Buerre pear ; unknown, 1 plate
Kentucky Redstreak ; 2 of mixed varieties ; 1
Vicar of Wakefield. L. M. Grider — 1 plate
pound pear. „„. ," ■<

Ranchito — J. W. Gates: 1 plate Winesap; 1
Baldwin; 1 White Winter Pearmain; 1 Yellow
Bellflower; 2 Yellow Newton Pippin. Pears —
1 plate Doyenne d'Alencon; 1 Winter Nelis.

Compton — S. Rogers: 5 plates White Winter
Pearmain ; 4 Yellow Bellflower ; 2 of Winter
Nelis pears. John Ganes— 2 plates White
Winter Pearmain; 1 Yellow Bellflower; 1 Ken-
tucky Redstreak; 1 Smith's Cider; 1 Yellow
Newton Pippin; 1 Nickajack; 1 Lawyer; 1 Red
Romanite. Isaac Wilson — 1 plate Yellow Bell-
flower. Clinton Heath — 2 plates White Winter
Pearmain". E. D. Stone — 1 plate Ben Davis ; 1
White Winter Pearmain; 1 unknown variety.

Cerritos— C. B Paris: 2 plates White Winter
Pearmain; 2 N. Y. Pippin; 1 Roman Beauty; 1
Smith's Cider; 1 Nickajack; 1 Ben Davis; 1 R.
I. Greening ; 1 Willow Twig ; 1 Shockley ; 2
Winter Nelis pear.

Orange — Dr. Chubb : 1 plate Spitzenberg ; I
Ben Davis; 1 R. I. Greening; 1 White Winter
Pearmain.

Duarte — A. Boddy : 1 plate White Winter
Pearmain; 1 St. Petersburg; 2 unknown varie-
ties.

Glendale — H. J. Crow : 3 plates Winter Nelis
pears ; 1 dozen Doyenne d'Alencon pears; 2
Easter Buerre.

Pomona — C. H. Loop : 1 plate blue pear-
main; 1 N. Y. pippin; 1 Canada Rennette; I
Spitzenberg; 1 Penn. Redstreak ; 1 polo; 1
emperor.

La Dow — G. Rowland : 1 plate Nickajacks;
3 Ben Davis; 2 Smith's cider; 2 W. W. Pear-
main; 2Ni Y. pippin; 1 R. I. greening; 1 Wine-
sap; 1 yel. Bellflower; 1 seedling.

National City — James Currier: 1 plate
Winter Nelis pears.

Frank A. Kimball : 3 plates W. W. Pear-
mains; 3 yel. Bellflowers; 1 Baldwin; 1 Ben.
Davis; 2 Winesap; 1 Nickajack; 1 Limbertwig;

1 Roxbury russet; 1 Lawyer; 1 R. I. greening;

2 N. Y. Pippin; 2 Red Jim, second crop; 1 seed-
ling; 2 unknown; 2 Winter Nelis pears.

■Tustin — Mr. Snow : 1 plate yel. Bellflower; 1
Smith's cider; 1 Winter Nelis pears; 1 Vicar
of Wakefield; 1 unknown.

Santa Ana^ — Dr. Wlmendorf; 3 plates Ben.
Davis; 1 W. W. Pearmain. A. T. Armstrong :
1 plate W. W. Pearmain; 1 yel. Bellflower; 1
mixed variety; 1 Winter Nelis pears. F. A.
Marks, 2 W. W. Pearmain; D. Holliday :
1 Ben. Davis; 1 W. W. Pearmain; 1 yel. Bell-
flower; 2 Vicar of Wakefield pears; Geo.
Minter : 1 W. W. Pearmain; unknown; 2 plates
Winter Nelis pears.

Newport — J. H. Moesser: 1 plate Kentucky
Redstreaks; 1 Ben Davis; 1 White Winter
Pearmain. Unknown— 2 plates unknown; 1
Vicar of Wakefield; 1 pound pear,

Pasadena — Mr. Rosenbaum: 1 plate Winter
Nelis pear. E. Millard: 1 plate White Winter
Pearmain. 0. S. Barber: 1 plate Roxbury
Russe'; 1 White Winter Pearmain;! unknown.
James Smith: 1 plate Winter Nelis pear. Ed.
L. Ferris: 1 plate December peach; one un-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

known apple. W. T. Knight: 1 plate Genitan;
1 White Winter Peartnain; 1 Red June, second
crop. A. 0. Bristol: 1 plate White Winter
Pearmain. Lyman Craig: 1 plate unknown
variety apple. Walter Coolley: 1 plate Winter
Nelis pear. Rev. Mosher: 1 plate Ben Davis;
1 White Winter Pearmain; 1 seedling,

Santa Barbara — El wood Cooper: 1 plate
King of Thompkins; 1 Roman Beauty; 1 Twenty
Ounce; 1 Yellow Beliflower; 1 Yellow Newton
Pippin; 1 Jonathan; 1 Fall Pippin; 1 W. W.
Pearmain; 1 Golden Pippin.

Alhambra— S. B. Kingsley: 1 plate W. W.
Pearmain; 1 Nickajack. F. E. Gray: 1 W. W.
Pearmain; 1 Winter Nelis pear, R. F. Bishop
— 1 plate Beauty of Rome; 1 W. W. Pearmain.
J. C. Byron — 1 plate W. W. Pearmain.

Los Angeles — C. R. Workman: 2 plates W.
W. Pearmain. \Y. B. McQuade— 1 plate Fall
Pippin; 4 plates Easter Buerre pears; 1 unknown
pear. Geo. J. Dalton— 2 plates W. W. Pear-
main; 2 N. Y, Pippin; 1 Ben Davis; 1 Smith's
Cider. John Hooper- 1 plate Nickajack; 1
W. W. Pearmain. Milton Thomas: 3 plates
Smith's Cider; 3 Nickajack; 1 Tillequah; 2 W.
W. Pearmain; 2 Yellow Beliflower; 1 Holland
Pippin; 1 Pen Davis; 1 Rubicon; 2 California
Keeper; ) Dominic; 1 Lawyer; 1 Kentucky Red
Stock; 1 Seek-No-Further; 1 R. I. Greening;
1 N. Y. Pippin; 1 Fall Queen; 1 Harrison.
Respectfully submitted,
Sol. Rdnyon, Courtland.
S. McKiNLAY, Los Angeles.
C. E. White, Pomona.
E. E. Edwards, Santa Ana,
Miscellaneous Fruits, Etc.
Mr. Wilcox presented report of the commit-
tee on miscellaneous fruits, as follows :

Afr. President, and Members of the Convention:
Your committee to whom was referred the miscel-
laneous articles on exhibition, not included in the
citrus family and green deciduous fruits, would report
as follows:

That they have made such an examination as their
limited time would permit, and that they find every
product included in the exhibits possessing merit
worthy of notice.

Grapes. — Among the grapes exhibited are those of
Sam Brown, Tustin, Santa Ana valley. Like all the
other grapes exhibited, they are of the second crop,
but make a very creditable exhibit. The varieties
are the Black Morocco, Cornichon and Victoria.
The Black Morocco are very large, but not well col-
ored. N. Nisson and G. W. Minter show a few
varieties of grupes, embracing the Muscat, Large
Mission, etc.

Wines. — Through the politeness of Prof. George
Husmann, we copy from the partial report made by
him to the U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, re-
lating to wines exhibited by J. H. Drummond, Dun-
filian vineyard, Glen Ellen, Sonoma county, com-
prising the following varieties; Semillon — clear white,
very fine, sprightly and high flavor; Pinot de Per-
naud — a fine type of claret wine, rather light in color
and body, but with a sprightly acid and fine flavor;
Petit Sirrah — deeper in color, more tannin, more
body, though not so delicate as the foregoing, a very
fine claret; St. Macaire — softer than the preceding,
deep in color, strong in tannin, more resembling the
Burgundies than the foregoing; Gros Mancin — very
fine, deep in color, but delicate and sprightly, fine
flavor, a true claret of the highest type; Tannat —
very fine, much like the foregoing, abundance of
tannin and color, sprightly and full; Carbernet Sau-
vignon — very delicate and sprightly, fine flavor, but
with more tannin than expected in this variety, yet,
on the whole, the best of a very superior exhibit of
wines of leading claret type.

Raisins. — We find, the exhibits of raisins large and
very choice, well put up and well cured generally.
In the list we find those of R. J. Blee, packed by
the Santa Ana Valley Fruit Company. London
Layers, grown, cured and packed by H. D. Halla-
day, also from Santa Ana, are choice. The Muscat
of Alexandria raisins, from H. K. Snow, Tustin,
Santa Ana valley, are very large and fine. Mr. Snow
shows some seedless Sultana raisins, well grown and
well cured; also, some London Layers of very
superior quality. McPherson Bros. , of Orange, Los
Angeles county, exhibit a large collection of raisins,
of first quality and in fine condition. D. W. P.
Chubb, of Orange, shows a box of raisins dried on
the ground, taken from the sweat box. While they
retain the bloom of the grape, they appear as if dried
rather than cured. We do not reler specially to some
small lots of this fruit, of more or less merit. C. Z.
Culver, of Orange, Santa Ana valley, shows a small
box package of very choice (London Layer) Muscat
raisins, well cured, with the bloom perfect. The
raisins are covered with tinfoil, and that is covered
with oil paper, and would be an attractive package
for the retail trade.

Figs. — The White Adriatic fig exhibited by Gus-
tav Eisen of Fresno, appears to be a very superior
variety. The fruit is shown in its natural, un-
bleach-sd condition. It is large, and well cured and
presents a very handsome appearance, being, in our
judgment, equal, if not superior, to any fig ever
imported into this State and supplies a long-felt
want.

Dried Fruits. — The exhibits of dried fruits are
hght. The sun-dried French prunes of H. Goepper
from Santa Ana, are very large, and under proper
manipulation and packing would show well in any
market. His apricots also 'appear to advantage.
Mr. Goepper also exhibits a bottle of unfermented
wine. It is clarified and fshows well. Joel B. Par-
ker, of Orange, shows evaporated apples and apri-
cots, which we consider of beit quality, though not
possessing the best appearance alongside those
packed for show.

Fruit Box. — There is also on exhibition a patent
fruit box similar in construction to the common egg
box used on the Pacific Coast, with the addition ot
paper sheets, perforated on the cides and top, so as
to afford perfect ventilation. This box comes rec-
ommended by Parker Earle, President of the Amer-
ican Horticultural society. It is manufactured by
Jenkins, McGuire & Co. of Balti;-nore, Md.

English Walnuts, etc. — Of three exhibits of Eng-
lish walnuts, the two varieties shown by Elwood
Cooper, of Santa Barbara, are large, of good color,
soft shell, plump, sweet kernel. The two samples
of almonds of Mr. Cooper, are also good. Of the
two varieties of chestnuts exhibited by Mr. Cooper
the American variety is very large and fine. The
walnuts exhibited by Geo. W. Ford, of Santa Ana,
are of soft shell and very jg large. There are two
samples of Italian chestnu which are not worthy
of any special mention.

Olive Oil. — The exhibit of olive oil of Elwood
Cooper, needs no commendation from us, it hav-
ing already acquired an enviable reputation in
all markets where it has been introduced. A branch
of the olive in fruit, is also exhibited by Mr. Cooper.
We also report a jar of very large pickled Mission
olives, put up in 1884, exhibited by P. Cazneau of
San Fernando.

Flowers. — The bouquets of roses and other flowers,
from Mrs. Maggie C. Rice, of Highland Park, are
choice and quite attractive; also, a basket of flowers
exhibited by Mrs. Rosenbaum, of Pasadena.

Corn and Vegetables. — There is a fine exhibit of
white corn in the ear, made by Mr. Doyle. Also a
watermelon of very large size and excellent quality,
probably weighing 65 pounds, exhibited by D.
Edson Smith, of Santa Ana. Mr. Smith has a flat
ribbed squash of hard shell, marked 90 pounds;
also shows another squash, of supposed mixed char-
acter, of much larger size, with shell not quite sa

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

hard. Of the special value of these squashes, the
committee malces no further report. There are sev-
eral very laige mangel wurzel beets, exhibited by
Mr. Smith; also two varieties of sweet potatoes; the
white Brazilian and red Bermuda, that are well
grown. Also, by Elwood Cooper, a bunch of yel-
low Nansamoned sweet potatoes, very smooth and
fine, illustrating the yield of that variety on the vine. ,

Orchard Wbififletree, etc. — A double and single
whiffletree, with clevis and traces so attached as to
he used in the orchard without injury to the trees,
appears to be a good device, which bears patent date
of 1883. There is also on exhibition a patent har-
ness for use in the orchard, which does away with
the whiffletree altogether. It consists of a steel yoke
drawn up under the horses' body so as to closely
connect the team, a broad band passing over the
back to hold the yoke in its plane. The contrivance
is such, that the draft comes from a central point in
the yoke. The horses are connected to the yoke by
a short trace, and the claim is, that it can be used
without injury to trees or vines.

Insecticides. — \ he exhibit of insecticides, by E.
C, Niedt & Co., of Los Angeles, consisting of sev-
eral kinds, is worthy of special notice.

Orchard Tools. — Dr. O. H. Congar, of Pasadena,
exhibits his mortise and tenon grafting machine,
which appears to be of practical value. W. B.
Forsyth of Orange, exhibits a pruning-knife, the prac-
tical value of which is not known to the committee.
I. A. Wilcox, "j
A. T. Hatch, V Committee.
Geo. Rice, j

Adoption of the Reports.

On motion it was ordered that these reports
be received and placed on tile and made part of
the proceedings of the convention.

Mr. Grey: I will be glad to say something
in regard to the steelyoke here exhibited. I
am not advertising any interest, still I would
like to have the fruit-growers have the machin-
ery that can be used to the best advantage.
You can use those especially in the vineyards,
and anyone who has to cultivate cannot afford
to be without them. We all know the difficulty
of getting up close to the vines after they
have gotten about two feet growth, but with
that arrangement you can cultivate or plow
very close to your vines and the horses do it
with as great ease as they do in the old way,
and the man with about one-half the exertion
outside of walking. I think that everyone
who has grapes to cultivate, or young trees,
would find it to his advantage to procure one
or more of these.

The chair announcecd the topic for the after-
noon:

Protection to Fruit Industry.

Mr. Aiken: I do not consider this subject a
political question: it is simply a policy for the
fruit growers to carry up. 1 have very fixed,
decided opinions on the subject of "Protection."
Protection has been the policy of the govern-
ment of the United States*irom its conception;
the first act of the first Congress in 1789, was
an act imposing a tax upon importations for
the purposes of revenue, and the protection and
encouragement of the manufacturing interests
have continued until the war of 1812 necess-
itated a tax upon importation that was
almost prohibitory, almost 100 cents on the
dollar. That led to a great deal of
trouble with our shipping interests in
New England, but that tax was enforced by
the aid of such an eloquent advocate as John C.
Calhoun, of North Carolina, and Henry Clay,
of Kentucky, and was opposed by that eloquent

statesman, Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts.
However, there was in a few years a reduction
in the tariff, until 1824:, when there was a slight
increase because Daniel Webster had from
necessity been obliged to favor pro-
tection, as New England had become a
manufacturing section of the country, and John
C. Calhoun, finding that the Southern States
would be necessarily producing States, and not
manufacturing, turned in favor of free trade.
This led to considerable discussion in this
country, so that in 1832 there was a compro-
mise by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster with
Mr. Calhoun, and the tax was somewhat re-
duced, but the direct result of that reduction
was a financial crisis in 1837, that for, we might
say, the first time almost revolutionized the
finances of the country. In 1842 there was a
slight increase in the tax, and in 1846, under
Mr. James K. Polk, at the commencement of
the Mexican War, the tax on importations was
further reduced in a manner looking to free
trade. This continued for a series of years,
until it led, as we believe, to that great finan-
cial crisis again in the year 1857 that nearly
bankrupted not only our Government, but
nearly every individual living in the United
States. That was followed up to 1861 with
almost a failure of resources on the part of the
United States, so that in 1860, just prior to the
war, no money could be borrowed by the
United States Government, but the necessities
of war led to the imposition of a tax for reve-
nue upon importation, and under that tax we
live substantially to-day. So when 1 assert
that protection has been the policy of this coun-
try, I think history will bear me up, and when
I assert, also, that the financial crises of this
country have followed almost immediatrfly, and
as a natural consequence, upon the reduction in
the tariff by the Government of the United
States. 1 desire to l^ave that and point out, if
possible, why it is policy for the producers of
this country to seek protection. Our wool in-
terests have stood in need, and have received
the protection of this Government. Until
within a few years there, of course, has been a
great deal of prosperity growing out of the
wool interests, but the reduction a few years
since in the tariff upon wool has led to such an
importation of Australian wool, also from other
sections, especially South America, that it has
almost made sheep-raising for wool impossible;
and, my friend, the Hon. H. C. Wilson, of Red
Bluff, although somewhat a free-trade man,
would probably favor a tariff upon wool, so that
his industry of raising sheep would be more
profitable than it is

The prune industry to my mind, is one of
the most important industries that we have.
W^e send to Europe annually over $3,000,000
of our money to import the foreign prune.
There is now and has been for many years lev-
ied upon the foreign prune a duty of 2 cts. per lb
ad vnlorem, which is not sufficient owing
to the cheap labor and the old or-
chards, and the methods of preparing
that they have in Europe as against our
young and growing orchards, and our want of
knowledge and skill in the preparation of fruit;
and I believe further that if our Government
could levy a tax of 3 cents per pound it would
be no more than is fair and just to this great
and growing enterprise. If we did receive
13,000,000 of American money in California, in-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

stead of sending it to Europe, and return to the
East that value of fruit, how rich it would
make our coast. We raise, to our .-nind, a bet-
ter prune; we have a better climate; we can in
time learn the methods and principles of pre-
paring, grading and packing those prunes,
so that we can fill the needs of the Eastern
markets on the basis of the foreign fruits, but
I submit that we should now have a protec-
tion of 3 cents a pound.

So far as the raisin is concerned, I believe
that the raisin grower, owing to the fact that
the cost of the raisin is substantially that of
labor, which is expensive in this country, in-
stead of two cents should have double, at least
four cents protection. A few years since they
had two and one-half cents, but that was chang-
ed. That little half-cent did not materially in-
jure the country, but was a serious blow to our
raisin growers, and if California is ever to be a
profitable raisin State it should have a firm pro-
tection in view of the difference in the cost of
labor.

The production of olive oil is one that could
be developed into a great interest, but it must
have protection. I cannot understand why any
person desires the direct and oppressive compe-
tition with the old world as against the fruit in-
dustry on this coast. We have the best State
in the Union, we have a climate and soil super-
ior to any in the world, but unfortunately our
people, though they are intelligent, industrious
and useful citizens, cannot live on ten cents a
day, and that is what foreign labor costs in
those countries that we are brought directly in
competition with.

Mr. Wilson: Let me interrupt you if you
had a world for a market with free trade, don't
you think it would be better for all the coun-
tries?

Mr. Aiken: If we had that, in a few years,
allow me to state, that I think probably that
China would supply the world with almost
everything, and we would be reduced to the
level of a Chinaman in this country. I must
say that the policy of the strongest, the
wealthiest and the best nations in the world
has been protection for their interests and for
their people. England is a, very marked ex-
ample of the idea of free trade, but I can say
now that I think that the best minds in Eng-
land and their best people are looking for the
salvation of England through protection. Ger-
many protects its interests; France protects its
interests, and France is certainly a very rich
and prosperous nation. The common people in
England, the most of them are in trouble and
very poor.

Mr. Wilson: It is the most prosperous na-
tion on the globe.

Mr. Aiken: Yes, there is great financial
force in England, but it is not with the common
people. The common people of the French re-
ceived after that great French revolution a lit-
tle piece of land, maybe no larger than one to
five acres, and they made themselves indepen-
dent and rich through their industry, and the
protection French law has thrown around it.

Mr. Wilson: Who pays the tariff? Isn't it
the consumer, the poor man that does all the
work and earns all the money? He pays every
dollar of it.

Mr. Aiken: I would answer that by saying
that the man who takes a protected prune pays
Ms portion of the tax, but the money, the three-

millions of money that is sent to these foreign
nations, would be kept at home and would be
of more value to the people than the whole tax
that they pay for the protection. It is the en-
couragement of the industry. Now Mr. Wil-
son will admit that without protection the
raisin industry or the prune industry could not
flourish in this State, and we could not profit-
ably make raisins.

I will make a motion that Congress be mem-
orialized to fix a tariff upon foreign prunes of
3 cents a pound, and upon raisins of four
cents a pound and a suitable tax upon olive oil,
which latter is to my mind a very important
industry, though still in its infancy, so that we
can provide the world with an honest, fair and
unadulterated olive oil, which we are unable to
get from Europe at any price. If that resolu-
tion be passed I believe that the Congress of
the United States at the present time has a
large majority in favor of protection and we can
secure the desired result.

Mr, Shinn: I think this is entirely out of
order as a general question of political econ-
omy. I think this convention should confiae
itself to the consideration simply of whether it
is to the interest of the California fruit-growers
that there should be an additional tax upon
prunes, raisins and olive oil.

Mr. Wilson: I'here was an old neighbor of
mine, by the name of Nesmith, said to me,
Why not favor a protective tariff? You know
you get a less price for your wool without it. I
said that is just the difference between me and
you. I am in the sheep business, and I con-
tinue it because I want no rights that I would
not accord to my humblest neighbor; I want
no rights legislated to me, because to legislate
from one man's pocket into another's is wrong.

Mr. Hatch: I move that it is the sense of
this convention that the various fruit industries
of this State need a protective tariff. Sec-
onded.

Mr. Webb: I move to amend that by sub-
stituting for the words "protective tariff,"
that, our Senators and representatives in Con-
gress be requested and instructed to pass and
procure such legislation as may advance the in-
terests of the fruit growers and producers of
California, and I will explain the reasons tor so
moving to amend. In the first place, there is
certain other legislation which is proposed
to be enacted that will be very injuri-
ous to the fruit interests of this State,
especially the southern portion of it. If
that Mexican "Reciprocity Treaty"' is finally
ratified and goes into effect, there will be an op-
position to Southern California fruit, and you
cannot tell where it will extend to; it is more
formidable than you have any idea of. It is no
use to ignore the fact that Mexico can- produce
a very fine orange. What does that "Mexican
Treaty" provide? It provides that in consid-
eration of the privileges to the producers and
manufacturers of coal, iron, steel and petro-
leum, to ship into that country all their products
and their manufactured articles free of duty,
and that in consideration of that great privilege
that has been extended to that class of enter-
prises, that the United States will grant Mexico
the privilege of sending into the United States
limes or lemons or oranges, grapes, raisins, figB
or wine, in fact, everything that is produced in
the soil, which will come in direct competition
with our products. I think, therefore, that it

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

is necessary to cover the whole ground, which I
believe the amendment offered by me will do.

Mr. Bettner: I will rise to second Colonel
Webb's amendment. If Congress should give
us a duty of 20 cents a pound on raisins, it
would be of no use to us if they should then
put the "Mexican Treaty" into effect.

Mr. Hatch withdrew his motion in favor of
the substitute, and Mr. Aiken withdrew his
motion for a commitee of three.

Dr. Congar: In view of the fact that we im-
port two or three million boxes of raisins from
the old country, whereas we only produce two
or three hundred thousand boxes, while I am a
protectionist, it seems so me very unjust to the
forty-eight or fifty millions of people to oblige
them to pay this extra tax because we are not
organized or old enough to do this work as
cheaply as we ought; and while we can produce
only two or three hundred thousand boxes
Congress will notice no such proposition. You
can put it in gold letters that they will not
adopt any such unjust measure. We have got
to correct the method of producing these
things. Generation after generation have come
and gone in Europe before they got down to
this methodical, mechanical and close way of
handling their fruits. They handle one or two
acres, and here we are anxious to handle a
thousand. We will fail, because we are under-
taking to do too much.

Mr. Hatch: I would like to ask one ques-
tion of Dr. Congar. How long does he suppose it
would be, with a "protective tariff" of four
cents a pound, before California could supply
all these articles.

Dr. Congar: I will say this: the principle of
Government and the present sentiment of the
people is against the protection of the rich or
a monopoly, especially at the expense of the
poverty-stricken portion of the country. On
that grand principle, Congress will not do any-
thing for us. I will not answer directly the
gentleman's question, because it would require
some considerable explanation, but I say on
general principles, our Government would not
listen to a proposition of that kind where mil-
lions are expecting these imported goods.

Mr. Aiken moved as an amendment that a com-
mittee of rive be appointed by the chair to re-
port a memorial to Congress in favor of our
fruit interests, such report to be made the next
morning. Carried.

The chair appoints Mr. W. H. Aiken, Dr.
Congar, Dr. Chubb, Mr. Bettner and W. H.
Workman.

On motion of Mr. Hatch, it is resolved that
the subject of " The cultivation and pruning of
fruit trees " be discussed at the evening session.

Pruning the Orange.

Dr. Congar: I wish to say a few words be-
fore I have to go home, about the " pruning of
the orange tree." I discovered something a
■while ago which was new to me at the time,
that the orange tree especially, and the lemon
also, project their wood in the form of threes ;
that there are three branches that start off from
a given point about the same time, and under
favorable circumstances the tendency of the
tree is to grow rapidly in a horizontal direction
rather than to shoot up. I found that in prun-
ing the tree in a careless way, or by a careless
hand, that it would grow unevenly, first one
side and then the other, and also, that on the

northern side of the tree it grew much more
rapidly than upon the southern exposure. That
is another proposition which I might discuss,
but I will drop that for the time being. I found
also that the fruit was on the lateral branches
of this triple growth, it was on the outside
sprigs. Not being familiar with the terms that
are used by experts, I give it to you in my
plain language. There is the center shoot, and
then there will be three more start out, the
center one continuing, and two laterals and so
on, until you have to cut back very materially
in order to get into your tree and keep it
uniform in shape. I therefore commence to cut
away the central, the wood growing stems, to
prevent it becoming too large and thereby I
would preserve the fruit growing limbs and
keep my tree in a symmetrical form and govern
the growth by that system of pruning, whereas
a hand not accustomed to that and not under-
standing it would grow up a tree and cut it off
wherever he chose, or where it was most conve-
nient to get in to use his knife, and you will ob-
serve it would be at the expense of the fruit
producing branches if it was pruned in that
way. So I find it is a very essential point for
our orange-growers to understand, and I think
if they look at their trees a moment they will
find that I am substantially correct. They will
find if there is any fruit, it will be on those lat-
erals almost invariably, and the center, as I
say, would be the wood-producing stem or limb.
Now, the reason why the wood grows more rap-
idly on the northern exposure, to my mind, is
in consequence of this shade. The heat of the
sun in this portion of the State is so great, par-
ticularly upon the southern exposure, that the
flow of the sap must necessarily be impeded,
and the fruit upon the southern exposure smaller
than it is on the northern exposure; hence the
necessity of cutting more wood away upon the
northern exposure than on the southern. Those
things we cannot have disregarded by our hired
help except at our expense.

Addresses for the Next Convention.

On motion it is resolved that the following
gentlemen be requested to prepare papers to
present to the next annual convention on the
following subjects:

Dr. 0. B. Congar on the subject of the "Prun-
ing of the Citrus Fruit;" Mr. J. Shinn, on the
"Apple;" W. W. Smith, of Vacaville, on the
"Peach;" F. C. DeLong, of Marine, on the
"Foreign Shipment of Apples;" Mr. A. T.
Hatch, on the "Almond;" Mr. I. A. Wilcox,
of Santa Clara, on the "Strawberry and all
Small Fruits, except the Currant;" Mr. Elwood
Cooper, on the "Olive, the Manufacture of
Olive Oil and the Walnut;" W. H. Aiken, of
Santa Cruz mountains on the "French Prune;"
James Bettner, of Riverside, on the "Produc-
tion of the Orange and the Various Kinds;"
Robort McPherson, of McPherson Bros., on the
"Raisin;" Prof. Husmann, of Napa, on the
"Quince and the Best Shipping Grapes;" G. N..
Milco, of Stockton, on the "Cultivation and
Preparation for Market of the Fig;" Mr. Chas.
W. Reed, of Sacramento, on the "Best Ship-
ping Fruits, Aside from the Grape;" Mr. Geo.
M. Grey, of Chico, on the "Pear and the
Cherry;" Dr. Kimball, of Alameda county, on
the "Apricot," W. M. Williams, of Fresno, on
the "Nectarine;" H. P. Livermore, of San
Francisco, on the "Market and the Marketing

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

for the current year;" A. F. Coronel, the com-
missioner of the Loa Angeles district, on the
"White Scale, the Icerya purchasi;'" Mr. W. S.
Chapman of San Gabriel, on the "Shipping of
Lemons;" John Rock, of San Jose, on "Nur-
sery Stock;" Dr. S. R. Chandler, of Yuba City,
on the "Planting and Pruning of deciduous
fruit trees;" H. W. Meek, of San Lorenzo, on
the "Plum;" Gen. John Bidwell, of Chico, on the
"History of Fruit Culture in California;" Dr.
H. W. Harkness, on "Fungoid Diseases;"
Frank Kimball, on the "Pickling of Olives;" J.
A. Day, of Ventura county, on the "Apricot
and Drying of the Same, and Packing it for
Market;" T. J. Swain, of San Diego, on the
"Guava;" Hon. Geo. Stoneman, on the "Pome-
granate;" J. M. Hixson, on the "Pieplant and
Early Shipping Vegetables."

Mr. I. A. Wilcox, of Santa Clara, oflfera the
following resolution, which, on motion, is
adopted:

Whereas, The reports of general produce mar-
kets sent out by the Asscoiated Press are of great
value to producers and to the general public.
Therefore, be it resolved, that the manager of the
Associated Press be requested to g've his attention to
the gathering and transaction of such reports relat-
ing to the markets for California green and dried
fruits, and thus confer a great benefit upon the fruit
industry and business interests generally.

The convention adjourned until evening at
the usual hour.

Cultivation and Pruning.

At the afternoon session on Friday the chair
announced the topic, " The Cultivation and
Pruning, and the Time to Prune Fruit Trees."

Mr. Garey: I would like to make a few re-
marks in regard to the theories advanced by
Dr. Congar today as to the best method of
pruning orange and lemon trees, the orange es-
pecially. The doctor's particular point in re-
gard to pruning the orange tree was, that he
had discovered that the twigs of the tree or
the limb grows in triplets; that is, as the limb
grows out there are three branches, one straight
branch and one on either side, and that he
has found by investigation that the two side
branches are the fruit bearing branches, and
that the leading branch is the wood branch.
Now, I would like to know if any other orange-
grower knows anything about that. I have
never noticed it, and I think that my experi-
ence in that matter would not bear out that
theory. I believe that the leading limb is as
liable to have fruit upon it as the side branches;
however, I wouldn't be quite certain about it,
for I have not noticed it very particularly.
But I tell you where I believe that pruning
would be bad if followed up systematically, as
he suggests. If at the commencement of the
bearing of the orange tree the process was
commenced, and the plan carried out, your
orange tree in a few years would amount prac-
tically almost to a hedge. It would present
pretty much the same appearance that a cy-
press hedge has when pruned continuously, and
would throw out small branches until it became
almost compact. I have an idea that it would have
a tendency to thicken up too much, and the main
object in the pruning of the orange tree is to
thin out the branches on the inside, in order to
admit all the air and sunlight that is possible.
You can't do it too much; the orange tree bears
altogether on the outside of the tree. Whether

they bear just on these side branches or not,
I am not prepared to say, but it certainly is on
the outside. When you walk under a tree you
will see but very little fruit, but on the outside
the tree will be a mass of fruit.

In the pruning of the orange tree, as I said
in my essay, there are two systems followed in
this country, one called lower pruning and the
other called higher pruning. Some allow their
orange trees to grow from the ground, don't
raise them at all, and scarcely ever thin them
out; others raise them gradually, from year to
year, until a horse can be driven under the
limbs, in order to cultivate them close around
the trunk, and I believe it is generally consid-
ered that that is the best, but there is a great
diversity of opinion on this matter, and a great
many ways of doing it. One thing is certain:
we must prune our orange trees in such a man-
ner that we can get at them pretty easily and
thin them out pretty well, because if they are
not, when the black scale or other scales make
their appearance, we cannot get rid of it at all.
You must have it very open and thin, then it
you wish to spray, it is an easy job to clean the
tree easily, and the tree has a tendency to clean
itself.

Dr. Lotspeitch: I can speak of the orange
tree when I cannot speak of any other kind
of trees. The best plan to make a tree, is to
commence in the nursery. When the young
tree is there it should be formed but a little at
the lower portion. It forms in the shape of a
tree after awhile, and when it is taken from
the nursery it should be set out as well as you
can possibly put it in the ground. My idea
and practice has been this: to wet the ground
thoroughly in the nursery, take the tree up
when the ground is thoroughly soaked with
water, that will give you a tap-root perhaps
four or five feet long. Well, a man will say,
1 can't dig a hole four or five feet long to put
the tap-root in, so cut it off. I say no; never
cut it off. An orange tree two years old has
good lateral roots also, and they can all be
pulled out of this soft muddy earth. To dig
the hole so as to lay out all these roots would
be an everlasting task, but you can take a
crowbar and make a hole a few feet deep for
the tap-root, and you can also make your holes
on either side to receive those lateral roots.
Put them in in that way, then set the tree and
cover it in with soil and run water immediately
around it. Cultivate it well for the first sea-
sou, run the water very closely to it, then trim
it but very slightly, never cut back very much
of the outside limbs. The second year you
trim it a little higher, and little by little, year
after year, go up; never trim to a bushy top;
leaving the lateral limbs touching the ground
almost, but always keep them just off the
ground, so as to keep insects from crawling up
on the branches. In the course of six or seven
years, perhaps, you would have the trunk of
the tree two feet or so, and the limbs would
be eighteen inches, perhaps, from the ground.
Never let an orange tree or any other tree grow
too high, if you can prevent it, without in-
juring the growth of the tree. Keep it pruned
out carefully, the outside of the tree and in-
side. Make your ditches so that you can run
water within three feet of the tree — that is
close enough to run water around an orange
tree, and have your machinery so rigged that
your horses can walk between the trees up

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

here and the furrow will be under the tree.
By low training you have your fruit so that
you can stand on the ground and pick it all
around, instead of having ladders twenty five
feet long to go up on the tree, or have a dis-
tance of five or ten feet from the ground before
you get an orange. That is my opinion; still
there may be better ways of cultivating a tree.
But a tree that is not trimmed up to make a
high tree, will make a heavier stock and a bet-
ter bush than the tree that is trimmed up, and
the fruit that is grown on it grows just as
good and better than that which is grown on
top, because the wind is not slashing it around
and scratching the oranges and making them
unfit for market. Those that are near the
ground are as fine oranges as we ever find.

Mr, Girey: How do you cultivate the tree
for the six or seven years?

Dr. Lotspeitch: We take a Buckeye sulky
plow and we have a seven-foot cultivator,
that we call a " tarantula cultivator," and we
attach that to the Buckeye sulky and ride
along and cultivate. You can go along on one
side, cultivating clear up under the tree. You
can run it right up against the tree, if you
wish to run that close. That is the way we
cultivate under the tree, and we have irees
that are ten or fifteen feet across.

Mr. Garey : How do you get rid of the
gophers ?

Dr. Lotspeitch: You could not have found a
gopher among our trees in two years.

Mr. Garey: How do you get to spray the
tree under these circumstances?

Dr. Lotspeitch: I u e a No. 1 Hooker pump
and I have a 4^-foot lever on it, and 50 feet of
hoae, and I puncture a slit in the disk that I put
on the San Jose sprayer. The bole I puncture
is oblong, about the same as you could put the
point of a pin in. Then we put two men in the
wagon with a tank and they work the pump in
the wagon. The pumpers will pump seven to
eight hundred gallons ot water through these
two sprays in a day. I have on the end of our
hose 10 feet of one-half inch iron pipe; the
nozzle is on the end of and then we commence ;
and if we want to spray a tree of the kind you
speak of we just get right down underneath, on
our knees, and we go through the inside care-
fully and we take it all around, running it from
one side to the other, and we pass up, out and
around that tree. I have the greasiest suit of
clothes you ever saw in your life; that is what
I wear when I spray, and I spray every year. I
sprayed this year three times in parts of my or-
chard, and I have watched it and been with
every tank that goes into the field. That is the
way a man has to do if he sprays thoroughly,
and that is the way I have sprayed our trees.
It is a very nice job when it is well done.

Mr. Cooper: About how many gallons to the
tree do you use ?

Dr. Lotspeitch: I can answer that; a seven-
year old orange that is grown well of the Medi-
terranean Sweet variety, will take 6^ gallons
to a tree; a seedling tree of the same age, well
grown, takes 15 gallons ; you can take a Rio
tree that is not quite so large, and it takes a little
less.

Mr. Garey: How many of the Rio variety
have you?

Dr. Lotspeitch: About 500 Rios.

Mr. Garey: How do they differ from the
Mediterranean Sweet ?

Dr. Lotspeitch: Just about as a black oak
tree would differ from a white oak tree. There
is a very different appearance of the limbs; they
grow out differently. The orange is very simi-
lar to the Mediterranean Sweet, but the differ-
ence is in the growth of the trees. They are
more rapid growers; they are not bushy trees;
they throw out young lateral limbs and they
will thrust out a sprout when they are growing,
and from four to six right at the end of it. The
Mediterranean Sweets will never do it — just
like the seedling oranges.

Dr. Kimball: I hardly feel myself competent
to say anything in regard to the orange ques-
tion, but Ert the same time I ought to have an
opinion about it. In 1871 I sent to the Islands
and obtained several crates of oranges that
were picked ripe, for purposes of getting the
perfected seed in order to start an orange nur-
sery in Alameda county. I had been pre-
viously down in this county two or three years
before, and thought very favorably of orange
culture. I raised trees from mj' seed and after
they got to be about two feet high I took them
out of the ground and transplanted them, cut-
ting off the tap root and set them out in nur-
sery rows. When they were about four years
old I budded quite a large number of them
with the Acapulco and some few with the
Navel orange that I obtained from Washing-
ton, D. C, and when I got ready to transplant
them, as they were quite large, vigorous trees,
I had a ditch dug between every other row
and a spade run under each tree, cutting off the
tap root, and I ascertained from the way that
they acted in the future that it was an impor-
tant thing to follow out the natural inclination
of the tree. They were bound to have a tap
root, and where I cut the tap root off there im-
mediately started down two or three more;
they were bound to go down. In trimming
them up, I have observed particularly what
agrees with Dr. Cougar's theory of the growth
of the orange. I noticed that when I cut out
the center branch the effact is to stimulate the
development of the fruit buds on the other
branches, because to a certain extent it checks
the growth of the tree; and I have been struck
with the peculiar difference of the orange tree
from any other tree in regard to this develop-
ment, partly on one side and partly on the
other. It has been one of the greatest studies
that I have had, how to prune the orange tree,
and I don't know that I have decided on a
positive plan yet.

But, in regard to deciduous trees, to change
the question, most all of our deciduous fruit
trees put out a spring growth. We have two
growths in Alameda county, the spring growth
and the September growth. The first growth
is the direct growth and central growth, and
afterward the side growths come in, the lateral
branches, and if you cut off the central branch
then you abnormally develop the others, and it
seems to me that nature's way is the best way,
that it is the only true way that we should
follow, and that is to cut them all back when
we trim and leave the central one a little in
advance of the others, to let every lateral
branch of the tree in a certain sense be a
main branch by itself, I do not wish to be
misunderstood, because in every tree there is a
main branch in the center, the standard, but
there are always these other branches, and the
proper way to trim, the way that suits me the

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

best and that I have the best success with in
all the trees that I plant (and I cultivate
almonds, apricots, peaches, pears, plums and
cherries), is to follow out that plan of nature's
and when you trim leave the central branch a
little the longest. Don't Cut it out, because
nature is bound to go ahead, and instead of
having one center branch you have a bunch of
laterals of which each one tries to be the center,
and the result will be that your tree will be too
bushy, too broomy. I do not put myself in the
position of instructor about pruning or trim-
ming, because I believe that the intelligent man
is governed by the circumstances and conditions
of trees that he is working up, and that he
will vary according to the circumstances. I
don't think there is any iron clad law that
can be laid down in trimming trees. I see the
best results in growing all kinds of fruits by all
classes of men by thinning out their trees, but
I think, in the main, that nature's way is
the true way and that we should never cut out,
never exterminate the center but leave it a
little in advance of the others and cut back the
center only in proportion as we cut back the
laterals.

On motion it was agreed that in the discussion
on pruning and culture of trees there be con-
sidered, first, the apricot, second, the apple,
third, the pear, fourth, the peach, fifth, prunes
and plums; that in the discussion 20 minutes
be devoted to each subject and each speaker be
limited to five minutes.

THE APRICOT.

J. D. Parker, of Orange : The apricot with
H8 grows much as it does with you in the
North, and from my experience, and what I
have read and heard, I find that the tree has a
tendency to branch out too much and I go
and give it a summer pruning about the
last of May, as a rule. I give it a fall
pruning also, and I cut back within ten
inches of the old growth; that is, on the
last ten inches of the new growth on each
tree. The result was that I got my tree in a
very compact head, and last fall I thinned it
out thoroughly and my trees blossomed finely.
I had a heavy crop for the age of the trees —
that is, it would be so considered with us. I
had about 50 tons on the orchard, and trees
that were not pruned through the valley, a
great many of them, did not begin to bear any
such crop. Some did well where they were
pruned once a year, but my observation goes
to show that the summer pruning had a great
tendency to make the fruit earlier, though
it might have the effect to dwarf the tree in the
future. If there is ary one here who has had
any experience of the bad effect of summer
pruning I would be glad to hear from him.

Dr. Kimball : I have a small apricot orchard,
some of it for perhaps 12 to 15 years, and in a
good year I have from 100 to 140 tons. I
think, in regard to pruning the apricot tree, the
old saying will properly apply : "He who
spares the rod spoils the child." I think it is
necessary to use the knife freely on the apricot
tree, first in getting it into proper shape, and
you all know that it is a tree which is particu-
larly inclined to overbear, the consequence of
which is a large quantity of small, inferior
fruit that you cannot sell to canners at all, and
which takes a longer time to prepare for dry-
ing. In raising apricot trees, if you receive

the trees from the nursery, yearlings or two
years old, I think that they should be trimmed
severely for about three years to place them in
a condition so that they will not split down,
for I believe that of all the trees that we rear in
the central part of the State, and perhaps here,
that the apricot is more inclined to split down
and be broken by the wind, and be broken by
its weight of fruit, than any other tree that we
raise. I have had some trees that I think pro-
duce from 700 to 1100 pounds of apricots in a
year, and they are not headed at all; or, I might
say, headed in a group, two or three limbs di-
vided right together. In first formiug a tree,
if you let three buds come out together and
reach out in different ways, when the trees
bear heavily they will split down. The tree
should be shaped, if possible, so as to have one
leader, one center, and they should be trimmed
to come out, not at a point of junction, but two
or three or four inches above or below, and you
have a symmetrical tree, and without danger of
breaking down in that way. As I have said
before, it is necessary, in order to get the best
results, to thin out thoroughly. I always leave
these lateral branches from the central branch
that forms the head of the tree, one coming
out on the east, one on the west, one on the
north and one on the south; trim them similarly
as you do the center, and you have then a
symmetrical tree. Of course, the apricot tree
should be severely cut, because if you let the
tree fruit, and if you trim it too close, hedge-
like form, you will have a large quantity of
fruit of an inferior quality. But if you cut back
to the three lateral branches, besides the main
center, keep it thoroughly thinned out, and
when you cut off the ends of the limbs of a
year's growth do not let it be too broomy, by
that way you save the process of going through
your trees and thinning them so much, for in
our section of the country we not only have to
trim our trees sharply, but go through and pull
off the fruit

Mr. Milco: A friend of mine in Stanislaus
county has a little orchard of five acres and
about three years ago I was visiting him, and
looking at his orange and almond trees. They had
made a wonderful growth, great fine trees, but
no fruit on them. He wanted to know how it
was possible to make those trees bear. I asked
him what he was doing to them, and he said he
gave them all the water they needed. I told
him to go to work and root prune them. About
eight feet from the trees dig down all around
and cut off all the roots and see what that would
do. The result is that he is having the trees
loaded down with bunches of beautiful looking
oranges. I was over there about three months
ago, and it was a delightful thing to see those
trees bear. In my judgment the best time to
root prune is during the rainy season, say in
January or February. In pruning apricots on
our place, and we have something like 40 acres
of young trees, We find that when they are se-
verely pruned there is much gum on them and
I believe that severe pruning has caused it.
However, our trees are young and we cannpt
tell whether that is the cause or not.

A Delegate: I would ask Dr. Kimball if he
believes in snmmer pruning of the apricot?

Dr. Kimball: If there is danger of the tree
growing so fast as to grow very much out of
shape, as apricots sometimes do, I would use
the knife to put it in shape. The apricot is the

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

most wonderful grower I think, ot any tree we
have. If I find its limbs commence growing
down instead of growing up, I would cut those
off, but we do most of our pruning in winter.

Mr. Bettner: Summer pruning of the apricot
is done veiv largely at Riverside. It is the
universal practice there of all the apricot-grow-
ers to cut back the trees in summer, directly
after the crop is picked; some also prune in
winter additionally, but not all of them. The
main pruning is done in the summer time, after
the crop is gathered; that is the result of the
experience there for a number of years.

Ira F.White, ofVacaville: The same custom
is pursued in Vacaville. We deem it an advan-
tage to the tree and to the fruit the next year
to summer prune.

Mr. Shinn: There is something more to be
done in the way of pruning the apricot. It has
such a tendency to split down the limbs. If
you notice any young orchard of apricots, you
will probably find that the first year they are
planted out they do pretty well. The next
year, if you let them alone, with no effort to
check them much, they make a most tremend-
ous growth, perhaps greate-r than any other
tree we have. If they be planted just as you
get them from the nursery, a considerable num-
ber of them will split to pieces and be greatly
damaged. That could be avoided almost en-
tirely by making a proper selection of the tree
when you plant it. Do not buy trees that do
not have single stem with strong, nearly hori-
zontal laterals. If you do that you will have
no trouble about it. I think the apricot should
be pruned almost the same as any other tree the
first year. It should be pruned with reference
to its symmetrical and proper shape. When it
comes to be a tree, if you find it is going to
split, and you can find it out easily enough by
the looks of the tree, where the crotches are
pointed, cut off one limb or cut it back. I
never summer prune apricot, except for the
purpose of avoiding that splitting. They will
bear enough without summer pruning in all
cases I know anything about.

J. Begg: I have understood from remarks
made here that pruning is haphazard business.
It is nothing of the kind; it is thoroughly a sci-
entific business, aud there is a proper way to
prune every variety of fruit. I will say in ref-
erence to the apricot, that the gentlemen are
all right and all wrong. It is right to prune
the apricot in summer to a small extent, but
then again, if you prune it severely and prune
the larger limbs, it is necessary to defer the
pruning until winter, and then you thin out
the bigger limbs of the apricot. That is the
proper and judicious way to prune the apricot.
The apricot is generally allowed to have the
branches too thick; it is the universal fault in
California, not only with the apricot, but every
variety of deciduous trees; they leave two-thirds
too many branches on the trees. The sugges-
tion I would give, as how to prune the apricot,
would be to head it back in summer and then
prune out the bigger branches in winter.

Mr. Wilcox: So far as pruning the apricot,
my general rule is like this: If the tree has
made a very vigorous growth, I will cut it off
any time in the year; but if it has made a short
growth I would not check its growth: I would
leave that to winter; this rule applies to all
pruning so far as I know.

1. H. Thomas: To prevent splitting I bore

a hole and put a bolt in and screw it up tight.
It will do you no injury, that is, after I have
got a large tree.

Mr. Garey: Down here, from our experience
with apricots, the trees have a tendency to be
shy bearers; they are shy bearers as a rule.
Some varieties like the Moorpark, it is almost
impossible to get to bear under any circum-
stances. It is unlike some other varieties which
are pretty fair bearers if we prune them in
summer. I see by the remarks here that the
tendency of the apricot at the North is to over-
bear; that is not the case with ua; the trouble
is to get them to bear. We have to aid them
by summer pruning.

Mr. Begg: I do not think it is a good idea
to put the summer pruning off too late. I
notice in Fresno county some have put off the
apricot pruning too late. They have a system of
summer pruning by heading it off a little, and
the trees make a growth of two or three inches
between that and fall and some of them being
tender, the first frost coming in the fall nips
them. I think if summer pruning is practiced
it should be done early, about the time you
take the fruit off. If the tree is not in fruitage
whenever you have got a growth of 18 inches
in the spring of the year, then summer prune,
because if you wait until the next year you will
do that any how and then you will advance the
tree very near a year on the young tree before
it commences to bear.

Mr. Wilcox: Summer pruning, or anything
that checks the flow of sap, tends to produce
fruit, whether it is root pruning or tying the
limbs down, or summer pruning; and no tree
will fruit when it is growing very vigorously.

THE] APPLE.

W. H. Aiken : I am a little interested in
this subject, still I don't know much about it,
although I have made a study of it for about
ten years. In the first place, I don't believe in
this high trimming of an apple tree. I believe
in low trimming for the purpose of protecting
the bark from the sun, and for the purpose of
being able to get at your trees to prune and to
pick your fruit. It will ma he a handsomer
tree; it will bear more fruit and will be
healthier, because the lower limbs throw a good
deal of sap, and I notice the apples on the
lower limbs are large and fine. I know in a
block of Yellow Newtown Pippin trees, I put
them out and cut them back pretty low and
they came out well and are very handsome
three-year-old trees now. I built them out
with limbs on each side, pruned them back next
year so as to strengthen the limbs, strengthen
the elbow, and endeavor to get limbs enough on
to make a good tree. The Newtown Pippin
has a small leaf. We have to put a good many
limbs into it, for the reason that it is a very up-
right grower and has to have the leaves to shade
its fruit, and we find that although it may ap-
pear too thick, when it bears it opens up and
makes a very healthy, prosperous tree. It has
bearing strength; the limbs do not come down,
they have been pruned back so that they have
grown large and strong from the limb, or the
elbow, and hold the fruit up. I have tried the
method of allowing the tree to grow without
any pruning at all. With the Newtown Pippin
it is fatal, for the reason the tree will throw up
one, two or three limbs, and they will keep
growing up in the air without lateral branches,

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

and the apples will be burned by the sun, and
I have never been able in that way to raise
apples of good form, size or color. Some other
apples, like the Baldwin, are very strong,
healthy, large-growing trees, and that, of
course, needs some pruning, although not so
much as the Newtown Pippin. It is a very
good tree, and the apple is a very good apple.
The Pearmain apple that I have noticed here, I
have no doubt must grow on strong, well-
formed trees, for the reason that one of these
Pearmain apples on the tar end of a long limb
would break it. The gre.it point in apple rais-
ing is to make a strong, well-developed tree
with bearing strength and bearing space, and
then thin the apples so that they will grow in
marketable form, siz.^ and color. I don't think
that some of those large apples that you have
here are exactly marketable. If many of them
were ono-half as large they would undoubtedly
bring more money. It is not necessary to raise
abnormally large fruit; the main object is to
raise an ordinary fair-sized lot of fruit. That
is my opinion in regard to apples, and there is
no difficulty in doing it, because if they tend
to grow too large you can allow more to grow
upon the tree and they will come down in
size.

Mr. Wilcox: The Yellow Newtown Pippin
has about three branches that grow very near
together when they start, and in order to make
a good tree after they get up a ways, you must
prune off the buds that start out all around all
the time, for they encroach upon each other.
That rule does not apply to al' apples; the
White Winter Pearmain I never prune at all.
If you let run it has a healthy body, and if you
cut off the ends of the limbs you lose the fruit.
The Baldwin don't need much trimming with
me, and yet with some soils they grow heavier
than they do in others. The Northern Spy,
which was a great favorite apple in New York,
became a favorite of mine, and I planted a great
many a number of years ago, before we had the
railroad, and I became disgusted with the fruit
business, and cut them down and put out small
fruit. I am turning around now and planting
trees. I believe that no general fixed rule can
be given, but the man who is observing looks
at his tree and its buds will find what it needs
to secure the best results.

Mr. Barry: I will state that very few people
in this country prune the Pearmain at all; they
let it grow.

A Delegate: Do you prune any of your apple
trees? " -> rt-

Mr. Berry: Not very much, but I know the
Pearmains are not pruned unless a sucker grows
up. They may be taken off, but many growers
do not even do that.

Mr. Bettner: It won't do to cut the trees
off. If you do you won't get any tree at all.
Some strong varieties may be improved by cut-
ting them back; others it would not do at all.
This is especially the case in the interior val-
leys, where it is warmer than on the coast.
The result of it is, if you winter prune trees
the sap seems to be checked, and that limb
amounts to nothing. On my own place I sim-
ply practice thinning out. If the tree grows
too bushy and throws too much shade, I sim •
P'y thin out. I do not cut back the apple

Mr Wilcox: An apple tree, like any other
wee, has the body above ground, and corre-

spending with that below, and, like any other
tree if it strikes hardpan it don't throw out
much top, and does not need much pruning
As a general rule, that tree that grows very full
will grow deep. j- '""

Mr. Stone, of Compton: I have had some
little experience in farming here. I took the
trees when they were two years old and set
them out and trimmed the trunk up about four
and one-half feet high, and then the next year
when the limbs grew out, I cut them back so
as to cause the big stout limbs to form the top
and the inside was pretty well cleaned out la
that way I have got trees reaching out in this
way [showing], and I can drive a small horse
below the tree to cultivate, and cultivate
right up with a''V" harrow, if necessary.
This IS the kind of fruit I grow [showing a very
large apple]. It is not like that on all the
trees, but it is on those trees that have not been
bearing much. I have not cut the tops off very
much after they got to be three years old, after
they were set out, which, with two years in the
nursery, makes them five-year-old trees By
that time that I have got the tree in shape, but
as they are now I have had on some of those
trees, perhaps 15 props to hold up the fruit I
grow apples, such as that on trees perhaps 25
feet high— as pretty shaped trees as can possi-
bly be seen.

Mr. Milton Thomas: I wish to say in reply
to Mr. Aiken that around Los Angeles we
prune our apple trees regularly and systemat-
ically. I have had some experience, and claim
to have planted more apple trees than any man
in Southern California, and have raised as
many apples and had a wider experience; and
I say that we prune regularly and prune system-
atically, so much so that in my orchard we
have many loads of brush to haul every year
or two. I do not see how a man can raise ap-
pies without pruning his trees systematically
»°.uP'^".?x"^ ^^^"^ vigorously. Of course, the
W.hite Winter Pearmain is the best apple that
we raise here. We do not prune it as much as
other trees because it does not require it
The fruit usually is borne close to
the limbs and branches of the tree, and not
on the ends of the limbs as in some other va-
rieties. In planting out an orchard I plant out
one-year-old trees— five or six feet high, say
when I plant them, and cut them off to— say
four or three and one-half feet— and then I al-
low a head to commence, and rub off all the
branches that come out below tsvo feet. Then

I have those lateral branches extending out

just as many as I want— and there will not be
those crotches or forks. There will be lateral
branches, and there is not much danger of
those breaking. The next year I prune back
some of those branches— all of them some— and
every year, till they get to bearing, prune some
off, so that I have a branch large enough and
stocky enough to bear fruit. I think we should
prune apples; and I know around Los Angeles
there are hundreds— I might almost say thous-
ands—of loads hauled off our orchard and given
to Chinamen for fuel, or burned up.

Mr. Begg: Are any of the apple orchards in
the southern part of the State affected in this
way : eighteen or twenty inches of the ends
of the limbs refusing to leaf out with perfect
leaves, and the following season the limb dies
down to where the healthy limb would put
out? We have that disease in some orchards

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

through the valley. The limbs have been
placed under a strong magnifymg glass; there
is no insect on them. For 18 or 20 inches on
the top of the tree it will be, prob-
ably, a half-sized leaf during the season, and
the following season it will die back about 18
inches, and at the point where it dies a healthy
sprout will start out and grow up and make a
terminal leaf.

A. Delegate: I believe that is owing to the
soil. Here in this portion of Los Angeles
county some are troubled very much with al-
kali, and sometimes the trees will grow that
way — that is the only way I can account for it.

Mr. Gray: At Chico we are troubled some-
thing that way, with the limbs not coming out
fully. I noticed especially a young orchard
three years old. Last summer there was a few
scattering trees that sometimes would have the
whole top of the tree affected, and other times
on one side the leaves would be full sized, good,
strong, healthy leaves and the other half of
the tree about half size, and I know it will die
next year. I thought it was probably alkali:
that was my opinion of it, but I examined very
closely, thinking it might be some insect at
work either on the limb or on the tree, but I
could not find it there.

Mr. Begg: I experimented on one tree.
There was no alkali soil where it was. It was
a White Winter Pearmain. I cut it down to a
bare pole, thinking I could overcome it. That
tree made a growth of six or eight feet that
season. The next season the same thing oc-
curred in the top of the tree, and I finally dug
the tree up. Strong pruning did it no good.

THE PEAR.

Mr. Thomas: My trees, perhaps, dififer from
any other, but our treatment is about the same
as with the apple. Our year-old trees are usu-
ally four to six feet high. We plant them and
we cut ofi' the top and leave only — say two feet
in hight — and then you can have six or eight.or
ten branches come out. The next year you
should cut back two-thirds, particularly if
they are Bartlett pears. If you don't prune
systematically and thoroughly, and prune
every year the trees overbear and ruin them-
selves. My idea is to prune back every year,
and make your trees and branches stocky, so
that they may be enabled to bear the fruit
when they come into bearing. They com-
mence bearing usually about the fourth year,
sometimes the third year. To have our pear
trees so that they will bear a full crop, prune
them back and make the branches and trees
stocky, 80 that there will be no question about
their being able to bear the fruit and not break
all to pieces, as I have seen the Bartlett pear
particularly.

A Delegate: Do you cut the limbs, or cut the
ends off ?

Mr. Wilcox: The BarMett pears on the ends.
I cut them as I do a Newton Pippin — I cut
them with the idea of getting the head, until I
get them started up. The more tops you can
get the more fruit you will get. For the first
few years you throw the strength into the tree,
you lose no fruit, and lose nothing except in the
time in which it gets to bearing. That ia my ex-
perience with that fruit.

Mr. Shinn: I think that the general princi-
ples of pruning apply to almost all fruits — cer-
tainly to the apple, pear and plum — and I

think Mr. Thomas has very correctly stated
the general plan which should be followed
when trees are planted out. The main object,
as I said before, with young trees is to so trim
as to make a well shaped head; do not prune
with reference to fruit until they begin to bear
freely. I always tell everybody to leave the
strongest bud on the wind side, and the strong-
est root you will have will be on the wind side.
Rub ofi" all you don't want; if you want tour,
have four; if two is enough let them grow — let
them grow a year. I certainly never practiced
summer pruning in trees of that class, but do
not let more branches grow than you care
about having, considering what will be the fu-
ture of the tree. Next year cut back. There
are various views about that, but 1 uhould cut
back within 10 or 11 inches. When they ^tart
out on each branch they will start out two
shoots. You may wait until they have started
and do the same thing; rub off as many as you
do not want, still referring to the kind of tree
you want, and remembering also that you must
manage a tree according to its character. If it
is a Rhode Island Greening apple tree you need
not be very much disturbed about its running
up out of reach, and you must prune with ref-
erence to that; you must understand the char-
acter of the trees and prune so as to throw the
branches upwards. But suppose it is a Bartlett
pear, then you go on a totally different method.
The object, as Mr. Wilcox suggests, is to
spread it. If you don't it will run up so nar-
row that it won't have much value to it. You
must leave the buds on, on the outside, then
you must force it so as to throw out more
branches, and in that way you will keep on
say for about three years. If you keep prun-
ing the tree upon that plan you will have a nice
big tree. It is troublesome to get a fine head
on the Winter Nelis, but if you don't prune too
much as you do the others, the tree will
straighten itself up and finally be a pretty good
shaped tree.

Mr. Strong: I have been told that the Winter
Nelis tree requires heavy pruning to make it
bear. Now I have got a number of Winter
Nelis trees, eight years old, perhaps, but not
large trees. There are some of them probably
20 feet high, and they have not borne much yet;
probably the most any of them have borne thia
year has been an average of a box and a-half to
the tree. They are covered with blossoms, but
I don't get the fruit. I have been trimming
very much. Two years ago I cut six to eight
feet from the tops of them but in place of get-
ting less growth I think in one year it was bigger
than it was before. I don't know what to do
with it; some people say you have got to let
them alone until they get through growing and
then they will bear. Those trees have been
growing from four to six feet on top, getting
way up. As I said the year I cut them most
they grew more than they did any year before,
but this year they have stopped growing those
big growths and have put out a lot of little ends
which grew out about six inches. Some say
that is an indication that next year they will
bear; I do not know anything about it; perhaps
some of these gentlemen who are posted in rais-
ing Winter Nelis can inform me about it.

Mr. Berry: I would like to ask any gentle-
man here from Southern California, whether
they have had a crop of pears?

Mr. Bettner: I have pears bearing splendidly.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

Mr. Berry: Down where I live, in the fur-
ther part of the county, it is impossible to grow
a crop at all. For three years we put out pear
trees; they have budded out and that is all
they have done since. So far as the pear crop
is concerned I doubt very much whether Los
Angeles county will ever be able to touch the
other part of the State. I have never found
anybody in our section of the country who
grows pears at all, and we began digging them
all up.

A Delegate: Is your soil strongly impreg-
nated with alkali ? I saw a tree the other day
that was nearly dead: it was attributed to that.
Mr. Berry: There is a gentleman living two
miles from me whose trees grow very vigorous-
ly but do not bear any fruit. I do not know
whether he had any alkali in his land or not.

Mr. Bettner: I can say that my soil, where
I have my pears, is low sandy loam, and they do
not bear so well on the heavier soil. I don't
think they bear so well on the wet soil in our
locality. The Winter Nelis with me grows very
strongly. They do not make a robust, thick
limb, or thick sprout, but they send out very
long, willowy sprouts, and a great many of
them, and they need shortening back very
much, and pruning, as suggested by Mr. Shinn.
I have pruned my trees very systematically in
that way, and I have very good, sightly trees,
and they bear as fully of fruit as they well can.
Half a mile away the trees will not bear nearly
so well. Perhaps it is on different soil.

Mr. Wilcox: So far as the Winter Nelis is
concerned I have a tree 16 or 17 years old. It
bears pears about as large as you see on exhibi-
tion here, but I never raised over a box and a
half. When I began at my place I thought I
would plant Winter Nelis. It is the best pear
we have when it is successful, but it is a very
delicate pear. The blossoms are so tender that
the least storm in the spring or cold will de-
stroy them. My trees were all full of blossoms
last year and the year before, but after finding
their character out and the experience of others
with them, I shall cut the trees down and graft
them over. We have large orchards of Winter
Nelis, and we have all come to the same conclu-
sion. Mr. Block, one of the largest shippers,
has cut his off and put in some other kind.
Wliere the Winter Nelis does well, is where the
roots don't grow too deep, and where you do
not get too much top. The Easter Beurre
grows in naturally damp, cold soil. The Win-
ter Nelis does not owe its want of bearing to
the alkali in the soil, because this complaint is
so general. Sometimes there are peculiar local
conditions. Where we have a gorge in the
mountains through which the air sweeps down
you find all kinds of fruit suffer, and these local
conditions, these atmospheric conditions, are
probably the cause of this tronble.

Mr. Gray, of Chico: There is no fruit that
will bring in as much money to the northern
part of the State, particularly about Chico, as
the Winter Nelis pear. That has been my ex-
perience for the last few years. We sell all we
have at from 2 to 4 cents a pound, and could
sell P\ore too. We do not have them as those
exhibited here, and do not want them as large;
but we have a nice shipping pear for the retail
trade. They are probably about 2 or 2i
inches through. We have to prune them there
a little different from here or the Santa Cruz
mountains. We have to prune with an idea of

making all the shade for each tree that we can
on account of the very hot summer. The Win-
ter Nelis gives us a good crop every year, right
straight along. We have never had a failure
since I have been there, and it seems to be a
very profitable tree, yielding from four to seven
or eight hundred dollars an acre.

Mr. Sbone: This gentleman on my left
seemed to leave the impression that we could
not raise pears. I want to take that cloud off
his mind if possible. I raise a few Bartlett
pears myself, and I think I never saw a tree in
my life that bears as heavily as the Bartlett
pear does, in this section at least, in Compton.
My Bartlett pear trees are 8 years old, and I
sell the fruit off the tree by the pound, and
they averaged me this year $6 to the tree.

Mr. I. H. Thomas, of Visalia: My experi-
ence of pruning Bartlett pears would be to en-
deavor to cut back the lateral limbs and increase
the head of the tree by heading back. With
the Winter Nelis I would leave the lateral
limbs. I never cut that back at all after the
second year; let it alone, it goes ahead and
shapes itself. The only reason you cut out
limbs is that they may be chafing one another.
My Winter Nelis, five years old, yielded me six
boxes to th^ tree. They are not large pears
but medium size, and the trees have been bear-
ing well since they were three years old. I do
not cut out unless they begin to cross limbs
and are chafing.

Mr. Wilcox: I know Winter Nelis trees that
are as high as this room and have never been
pruned; they are apt to grow right up. There
is one point not touched here, and that is dis-
tance apart in planting. Mr. Block, at Santa
Clara, got his trees so near that the tops run all
in together; it looks like a labyrinth and his or-
chard is one continuous mass of fruit on top,
and it is a difficult matter to drive under the
trees. Some of them are from 10 to 15 feet
apart — an old orchard, too.

Mr. Begg: Having once been in charge of a
very large pear orchard on the Sacramento
river, I have had considerable experience in
pruning the pear, and I will say in reference to
the Bartlett pear that the tendency of the
branches of the Bartlett pear is to go up
straight, and I am going to tell you this about
pears, gentlemen, and I am making a pretty
broad assertion, that there is not a pear tree in
California to-day but is allowed to bear too
many branches altogether. The Bartlett pear
grows quite differently from the Winter Nelis.
It grows into a dense, close head; about two-
thirds of the wood of the Bartlett pear ought to
be cut out. The natural habit of the pear tree
is to grow with a central branch and all pear
trees ought to be pruned in that direction, and
it is a thing that ought to be kept in mind al-
ways, to thin out the pear tree.

THE PEACH.

Mr. Gray: I suppose you all think the peach
tree is so easily raised that there is nothing to
be said about it, I think that part of the Sac-
ramento Valley around Chico is as good a
peach country as there is under the sun. I pre-
sume that there are other places that other gen-
tlemen wonld tJiink to be better, but we have
some very fine samples of peaches there. In
regard to pruning the peach tree, I will give
my method, and if there is a better way I would
like to know it. In setting out trees I cut

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

them oflf two feet high, and trim off every
thing on the side. The second year, I leave
them from four to six lateral branches and cut
them back to six inches long. The next year I
leave two shoots to each, and cut them back to
about twelve or fourteen inches. After that I
cut off one-third of each year's growth, thinning
out of course, leaving the necessary amount.
We have one peach orchard, which will be four
years old the coming January, and this last
summer we picked something over 225 tons off
24 acres. Mr. Jessup went through the orchard
just before he started to New Orleans, and he
declared that there was not a better orchard in
the State that had never been irrigated — it has
not had a drop of irrigation. At his request I
measured some of the trees before he went
away, and they were from 4^ to 5 inches
through the butt, and from 16 to 18 feet
through the tops, and if any one can turn out a
better peach story than that, all right.

Mr. I. H. Thomas: Speaking of growing
stone fruits, I do not believe there is anybody
in this State grows better fruit than I do. I
start them in the nursery, and let them get 18
inches high, and then stop that upper growth
and bring out the lateral, and at a year old I
have got a two-year-old top on the tree. I let
them grow and make a growth of 8 or 10 feet.
Then I set them in orchard, cutting them back.
I watch them, and in June I pinch back again,
after they have made a growth of 18 inches,
and then I let them run the rest of the season.
In the winter I cut them back to about 18
inches of where I cut in June and so on for
about two years' growth, and then I increase
my growth by spreading it, by pinching it from
where I cut in the fall. After they get about
four years old I cut back to within 18 inches of
where I cut it the last time. After that I let it
take pretty much its own will, it will regulate
its own growth. After it gets four or five years
old it does not make the vigorous growth it does
from one to four years old, then I thin it out,
and consequently have large peaches.

Mr. Shinn: That is very much the same as
suggested by the other gentleman; the only
thing is he gains apparently one year by cut-
ting back the nursery trees. Are your custom-
ers willing to buy that kind of tree ?

Mr. Thomas: They are not willing to pay
the freight on that kind of tree, consequently I
pay the freight on it myself in order to give,
them a better tree. The trees are very bulky.
I have limbs on them as big as yearlings and
couldn't get over 2500 in a car after they are
baled, and I have to cut the ends of them off in
order to get them in the car.

Mr. Wilcox: I had the pleasure of seeing
some of Mr. Thomas' trees in New Orleans, I
saw some fruit also at the State Fair before we
went to New Orleans, and I believe he had the
nicest peaches in Sacramento at that time, the
nicest display. But one thing I would like to
ask: when a tree gets 10 or 12 years old
whether there will be any vitality in it if grown
upon the system described ?

Mr. Thomas: I know bearing trees near
Visalia that are 30 years old; that is, they were
bearing trees when I came there in '58. One
season they will make a big year's growth, and
in the following season that growth will bear
fruit in peaches, but they are liable when you
cut back that way to get a dead streak on the
southwest side of the tree that will get full of

borers. They talk about a peach root not being
long lived; you take an old peach tree 20 years
old and break it down and it will sprout right
up from the ground, and will have a healthy
bearing tree. The root don't seem to be effected,
it is the body above the ground.

Curled Leaf.

Mr. Clark, of Santa Barbara: I have got
trees that have been bearing, but the curled
leaf came on and injured them so that I did not
get any fruit. I would like to hear something
about that.

Mr. Shinn: You must do one of two things :
you must let the fresh sprouts grow up before
the first of July and bud to something else
that does not curl, or else dig up the tree en-
tirely.

Mr. I. H. Thomas: We did not have much
curled leaf in the San Joaquin valley this sea-
son. A year ago we had it much worse than
ever before. We never had it amount to an
injury before. My opinion of the curled leaf is
that the cause is atmospheric. It is true some
varieties did not curl last season, but
my opinion is it is atmospheric. I take my or-
chard, for instance; the ground is certainly as
wet this season as last season, when it curled so
badly; in fact, I think the land, if anything, is
a little wetter, but the season it curled so badly
we had late rains that came on just as the trees
were blooming, and we had excessive moist at-
mosphere for about two weeks; that is all we
know about the curled leaf. Although the land
below was a little wetter than the year before,
I think it was the excessive moisture in the
atmosphere, when the tree is blooming and the
leaves coming out, that produced it. The roots
are the life of the tree; if the roots keep sound,
what is the matter with the top?

Mr. Begg: I happened to be at Salt Lake
about two years ago. They were very much
troubled with the curled leaf there, and they
discovered a remedy for the curled leaf; whether
it will apply to California or not, I couldn't
say, but it is worth trying, at least. There
they dig the soil from the roots of the tree, and
then take a knife and score right up into the
branches. They say it retards the flow of the
sap, so that the curled leaf don't take any hold
of the tree, and as soon as they begin to find
that the tree is commencing to curl, they do
that and they say it stops it at once. I wish
some of you who have peaches would try that
and report to this convention next year what
your success is.

A few words in reference to pruning the
peach: There is no fruit that you can improve
so much as the peach by pruning. I will take
a seedling: A gentleman at Riverside had a lot
of seedling peaches that he was going to throw
away, and said the peajches were no good what-
ever, and he wanted to root them up. I told
him to wait and let me have a- chance at them
for one season; I pruned the peach, thinned the
branches out thoroughly, and what was the re-
sult? At Colton there is a cannery and they
make grades ot prices: one-half cent for seed-
lings, one for mediums, and one and one-half
cents for the best. My employer got one and
one-half cents a pound for all the peaches that
I pruned for him; that is one evidence, and I
think I can safely say that I can go through a
peach orchard and double the size of the
peaches by scientific pruning.

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

A Delegate: What time of the year do you
prune?

Mr. Begg: In the winter. The winter is
the proper time to prune the peach; thin out
the branches; thin out the small branches; have
them always equi-distant apart, a good distance;
it will close up before tlie summer is out, and
then you will have fine peaches, and you will
have to go around the tree and thin out one-half
the fruit, and that is the way you treat peaches.

Mr. Wilcox: I would like to say, in support
of the idea I advanced, that I think Mr.
Thomas' place is an exceptional one; I do not
know of an orchard in this State that has been
planted 20 years and not pruned, that the trees
are in good condition. I don't believe there is
a healthy tree in the State 25 years old that has
not been pruned, but where Mr. Thomas is he
has a peculiar kind of a soil, that is naturally
loose enough, so that the water don't stand on
it. It is a very favored locality where a man
can keep a tree alive all the time and not
prune it.

Mr. Thomas: I can state there is a sediment-
ary deposit there in an old channel, and there
is water in the channel. My young orchard is
about seven years of age. To grow that or-
chard to be 20 years old I would certainly go to
work to head them in and keep that in growth;
but I do not cut back so severely after my or-
chard is four or five years old, as I do until I
get it up to that point, but I cut it back some.

THE PRUNE.

Mr, Aiken: To the discussion of the prune
and plums, of course the same theory will ap-
ply. I have not much to say in relation to it.
The prune and the plum ought to be a vigor-
ous, healthy growing tree, and in places where
it is in a poor, rather light, dry soil, of course
it will make the growth lighter; and of course
it would not need the amount of pruning back
that it would in a strong soil to raise a good
fruit. My opinion is that where a good apple
or pear would grow, a good prune can be raised.
We must try and raise large, well-developed
prunes, since we find where there is very little
growth of wood the soil is not very good, the
prunes are very small and have no great value
for drying. My idea of pruning the prune or
the plum tree, is to make a handsome tree
with plenty of limbs; and prune it back so that
it will give the limbs great strength and bear-
ing space. In that way you can raise a large
amount of good plums or prunes.

A Delegate: Do you thin out much?

Mr. Aiken: Not very much, unless the limbs
cross, because when they begin to bear the
tree opens very nicely. I have eight-year-old
French prune trees, and though, they didn't
average it, many of them had 800 pounds of
French prunes on this year without much af-
fecting the form or the shape of the tree. They
were so pruned and so strong, and with such a
broad bearing space that they bore that amount
of prunes, and very easily, although it has been
a dry year and they were not quite as large as
they would have been if there had been a little
more moisture. I think the great mistake in
raising the plum and the prune is to leave too
few limbs, say one limb way up in the air and
the other one in another direction like two
arms. On such a tree you can raise very little
fruit, and it would be of very little profit. I
am of the opinion, too, that this pruning should

go on each year and give a fine form and
strength and bearing space, and when the tree
bears and gets to be over six years old and is in
good bearing you don't need so much pruning
back. Indeed, I think, when it is eight, or
nine, or ten years old I don't think it needs
much if any pruning back; of course, take out
the old limbs to keep it in good form or shape.
If that is not a good way to prune the plum I
would like to know it.

A Delegate: What is the character of ths
soil?

Mr. Aiken: These prunes that bore so heav-
ily were on dark, rich loam — you might call it
a sandy loam, and the clear soil under those
trees is, acording to my measurement, about 25
feet in depth. It is a very rich soil, and we
have from 60 to 80 inches of rainfall in winter.

A Delegate: Is the French prune a regular
bearer?

Mr. Aiken: Never fails; that is a remarka-
ble feature of the production. It will bear a
good crop each year without any failure from
any cause I ever heard.

A Delegate: I heard one gentleman say that
they were bearers only once in two years.

Mr. Aiken: That is hardly so in our central
part of the State, and another thing the French
prune especially needs rather a long season, a
cold season. I don't think it would be profita-
ble to raise prunes in this section, or in the hot
valleys. A few have tried it, and I do not
think they have made a success of it for many
reasons; on account of the heat and the drying
up they do not mature in size, or form or taste.

A Delegate: Do you irrigate ?

Mr, Aiken: No, not at all. We try and
cultivate well. With me there is a very thick
clover and alfillerilla grows in the orchard dur-
ing the winter, and I turn it under each year for
manure for the trees. The soil is very rich but
I have done that plowing under regularly, while
a neighbor of mine never allows a spear of grass
to grow, and I believe he starved his trees out,
I believe you can starve trees as well as any-
thing else.

Mr. I. H. Thomas: I have been observing
the growth of the prune in the San Joaquin val-
ley, because the question is asked us as nurs-
erymen what to plant. In Fresno, in the Cen-
tral colony, the oldest trees I know of growing
there are about seven years old. The land is
laid off in checks, one check in French prunes
and so on. They have adopted the system each
year of pruning in close, and got but very few
prunes; then the next block of trees is
not pruned at all, except to cut out cross limbs,
and a heavy crop is the result. That has been my
observation in watching that orchard for three
years, and from that observation I do not be-
lieve I would do much pruning of the French
prune after you get it in shape as a three-year-
old.

Mr. Aiken: Don't the prunes there burn ? Is
it not too warm for the prune ?

Mr. Thomas: No.

Mr. Aiken: I was going to ask if you have
any experience in this part of the State with
the prune, the French, the German or the Hun-
garian ?

Mr, Milton Thomas: I will say that the
French prune, in Los Angeles county generally
does well, more especially in the Santa Ana
valley, I heard Mr, Center, a very reliable
gentleman, say that parties there with six-year-

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

old trees had six and eight hundred pounds on
their trees for a number of years; they seldom
fail. As to plums, there are very few varieties
of plums that do well in Los Angeles county to
my knowledge, and I do not recommend any-
body to plant a plum tree here, but a French
prune does well so far as I know.

Mr. Wilcox : Perhaps the largest prune or-
chards in America are in the Santa Clara val-
ley. We have them there to the extent of 100
acres in an orchard; one person has more than
that. Those orchards have sold for large fig-
ures, some of them, but they are planting so
extensively that some are almost afraid to
plant them. You will see that of the French
prunes there are several types that do not
always appear the same. These prunes ex-
hibited here are an odd type of prune; if they
had been well handled and put up they would
have compared well with any in the market.
There is this about prunes : when they bear
too heavily on dry ground they will be small.
Mr, Aiken said, at the last meeting of the
State Horticultural Society, two or three weeks
ago, that it is his impression, from what he
knows of the Chicago market, that you must
depend hereafter on the size of the prune more
than anything else. There is a kind called the
"Robe de Sergent," I believe that is the
name. That prune is said to be very much
larger. I shall plant some of them the coming
winter. I intend to plant a great many
prunes. I have faith to believe that I can
raise them, although it may be that we will
need a higher tarifif^to make them profitable;
still it pays very well, and the amount used
in the United States at the present time is
enormous, and I think we will use more. It is
the cheapest fruit we can use, and very healthy.
I think the day will come when we will supply
the consumers in the East. I would encour-
age every man to put in more prunes where
they do well,

A Delegate : Do you raise the French prune
from the cutting ?

Mr, Wilcox : We do not, but we graft it on
another kind of cutting. Whenever the soil is
very rich suckers will come up; now, if you ex-
pect to raise a good tree, that will not sucker,
do not graft on any of those suckers. Wher-
ever the peach will grow it is best to graft on
peach! stock, nevertheless east of the Rocky
mountains they graft peaches on plums. We
do the reverse, and wherever you have good
moist soil you can graft on the peach or on
most anything that will take the plum.

Mr. W. H. Aiken: There is another prune
besides the French prune that is well spoken of.
I think they call it the Hungarian prune. It
is a prune that will ship well; that is an up-
right grower and needs to be pruned to make
form and shape. I would say don't prune a
plum tree mjich; but that prune like many
plums will shoot right up in the air so that it is
impossible to pick the fruit. There is no sense
in letting it grow so that you can't get the fruit
when you raise it. You want to give it a good
bearing space where you get it. The German
prune is a good shipper, but indeed, of any
fruit, the French prune will ship East, and that
is what we are going to do, if we get low freight:
send them all over there, I really believe that
the French prune. is the best drying plum we
have, but I do not want you to go into the
prune business; I am in it myself and I do not

want to invite competition, but undoubtedly
the prune will do well on good soil. People tell
me that poor soil is good for fruit; I do not
know what it is good for ; it is not good for
fruit in my estimation; you cannot get a soil too
good for fruit nor too rich, but trees grown in
good soil must be pruned,

Mr. Gray: I think it is a mistake to call
the Italian prune a good shipper, I would
not advise anybody to plant them for shipping.
In the first place they drop from the trees be-
fore they ought to be picked, and when they
are ripe they are so soft that you cannot dry
them at all in any dry-house I have ever seen.
If you get them dry enough they will drip; if
they are not dried quick enough they will gran-
ulate. They are a very poor fruit. We have a
great many more of them than we wish we had.
The only way we can dry them is to cut them
just as we do the plum and sell them for a sweet
plum,

Mr. Wilcox : There is more than one kind
of German prune, one originally egg-shaped, I
raised that. There is another kind, and they,
I believe, are what Mr. Aiken says are very
good to', ship. There is also the Oregon silver
prune, very large, something like the egg
plum, and which was thought by some of us to
be merely Coe's Golden Drop. It is very
large and it makes a beautiful prune.

Protection to the Fruit Industry.

The convention met for the fifth and last
day's session on Saturday, November 23d, Presi-
dent Cooper in the chair.

Mr. Aiken presented a report in the protec-
tion of the fruit interest, with a memorial, as
follows :

Los Angeles, Gal., Nov. 21, 1885.

To the Fruit G)-owers' Conventioti of California^
Your committee on a memorial to Congress would
respectfully recommend the adoption of the memor-
ial herewith submitted, and that the same be
signed and certified by the president and secretary
of this convention and copies of the same be for-
warded to each member or the California delegation
in Congress. W. H. Aiken,

Chairman of Committee.

Memorial of Fruit Growers' of California.

Los Angeles, Cal., Nov. 21, 1885.

To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States, Washington, D. C:
Your memorialists, the fruit growers of the State of
California assembled in their annual convention at
Los Angeles, this 21st day of November, 1885, most
respectfully represent:

That the soil and climate of the State of California
are adapted to the production and preparation of
the prune, the raisin and the olive of good quality
and in quantities sufficient, eventually, to supply the
demand for such products in the United States;

That these important industries are in their in-
fancy and stand in great need of protection from com-
petition with foreign prunes, raisins and ohve oil
produced by the cheap labor of Europe.

Your memorialists have found by actual experience
that the present duties of two cents per pound on
prunes and raisins and one dollar a gallon on olive
oil afford no real protection and give little encour-
agement to those engaged in these great and grow-
ing enterprises in California;

That an import duty of three cents on prunes
and raisins and two dollars per gallon on olive oil
would enable California to successfully compete with
the world on these products in the markets of this
country and pay fair and full wages to American
labor.

The growing of the orange and lemon in the-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS.

United States should also be encouraged and pro-
tected from competition with like products of foreign
lands and in the opinion of your memorialists the
duties on these products are entirely too low.

Your memorialists further represent: That the
Mexican Reciprocity treaty now under consideration
for Congressional action seriously threatens the
future of many agricultural industries in the United
States and especially that of fruit growing in
California.

The long established policy in this country of the
protection and encouragement of American labor and
American industries should not be changed so as to
practically protect and encourage IVIexican labor and
agriculture.

The Mexican Reciprocity treaty would in effect
admit the Republic of Mexico to the Union, to a
share in our great prosperity and give its people a
right to compete with Americans for trade in our
markets without bearing the burdens of this govern-
ment and without any love for this country.

Your memorialists therefore respectfully and earn-
estly request the Congress of the United States to
so adjust the tariff on the products above referred to,
as to make us a prosperous and independent people
and to decline legislation intended to enforce and
put in operation the Mexican Reciprocity treaty.

Diacussion.

Mr. Aiken : This memorial does not ask for
• a perfect protection, and yet it seeks to acquire
what we so much need. I believe in theAmer-
ican institutions; I believe America should pro-
vide for the many. I believe we can raise the
prune, raisin and olive, and also the orange and
lemon that will supply the markets of this coun-
try, and keep at home our money, and I hope
there will be a free discussion of this matter be-
cause we ought to hear from everybody.

Mr. Hatch: While I endorse the memorial
from personal reasons and for the benetit of the
State of California, at the same time I do not
think there isa real estate agent in Los Angeles
that would indorse that unless they knew that
Congress would act favorubly upon it, as it
would hardly like to place before the Eastern
people that we cannot make profits on these
very things; that is, sufficient profits without
extra action in our favor. As it now is, we can
make living profits, it is true. If we are as-
sured that favorable action will be taken upon
this we could make extraordinary profits. The
question seems to be in my mind. Is it advisable
for us to place such an advertisement before
the world?

Dr. Kimball, of Alameda: I think that the
principle involved in this resolution, or memor-
ial, is decidedly unjust to the status or stand-
ing of California at the present day, because we
go before the nation as a supplicant; a little
handful of people on this coast that are en-
gaged in raising the olive, the prune, the raisin,
grape and the fig,. we go before the people of this
great commonwealth that reaches from sea to
sea, a boundless empire almost, and we ask them
for protection. It places us in an unjust posi-
tion in regard to ourselves, in regard to our
great prosperity, and in regard to our great
prospects for the future, and as Mr. Hatch has
just said, I believe that every real estate agent
ought to take up his tomahawk and scalping
knife and go for the memorial. It is an adver-
tisement of our inability, notwithstanding our
favored soil and our wonderful climate, and all
these things, to compete with the people in
Germany, and where they are raising prunes.
Is this an advertisement that will bring emi-

grants here to California, that will cause the
peasant of Europe to come out here and work
for us? I think that the gentlemen when they
advocate this memorial are slightly mistaken.
The protective policy has been the policy of my
whole life, but when we come down to the ques-
tion of compelling the people from the Gulf to
Canada, and from the Atlantic to the Sierra
Nevadas to pay two cents more a pound for the
plums in their puddings, I don't believe it will
do. I believe that the people will regard it as
a kind of an insult when they read the magnifi-
cent reports tRat are sent from this glorious
country here, and this beautiful climate, and
find that men are making $250 per acre from the
raisin grape, and that those poor benighted in-
dividuals around the bay are making $150 to
$200 per acre from their prunes, and still they
want help, while the people in the mountains in
the East are willing to work for a profit of $3
per acre, or even $2, and I, for one, am not in
favor of the memorial.

Mr. Bettner: I concur to a large extent in
the views that have been presented by Dr.
Kimball, that is to say in the reasonableness
from one standpoint of those views, but as the
manufacturer sells protected goods to the fruit
grower and to the agricultural interest so as to
receive all the benefit of what has been, I may
say to a certain extent at least, the policy of
this Government, it is not right that the agri-
cultural interest should bear all the burdens.
We have often seen a representative of the in-
terests of this country go to Congress and claim
substantially as to the manufacturing interest
what Dr. Kimball has said refering to Southern
California. This agricultural interest will bear
the burden and receive none of the benefits
from this proposed Mexican Reciprocity treaty.
Such a treaty of reciprocity with Mexico strikes
directly at some of the most important inter-
ests of the country, not only the fruit interest,
but some other interests of the State; also the
tobacco interest and the sugar interest of
Louisiana. Why on the same principle ought not
the agriculturalist to have the benefit of the
free trade of England, France and Germany and
other nations that export to this country, in-
stead of paying, as now, the high tariff, which
increases the cost to him of producing every
article that he does produce?

Mr. Wilcox: I am in favor of the protective
tariff so far as it is necessary in the commence-
ment, and this may not be necessary always.

1 understand from Mr. Blowers, who took the
premium at the World's Fair, at Philadelphia,
for American raisins, against the world, that he
has not made a fortune at that business. I
met him in New Orleans last year, and he still
asked for a tariff and circulated his petitions a
year or two ago for that purpose, and I believe t
the present time it would be a wise policy to do
so ; because if we undertake to compete with
the producers of Europe, it means that we com-
pete in the price of the labor also that produces
those products in Europe. Capital is also
cheaper there, and a vineyard in France that is
worth .$2000 per acre is worked on capital worth

2 and 3 per cent annually. Now, if we want
the laborers here to thrive and to invite labor-
ers from all parts of the woald, let ua tell
them they can make money here as well as to
enjoy in company with us our beautiful sun-
shine. Only a few years ago we did not know
that we could make wine for the market, and it

FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

was only by a protective tariff that we succeed-
ed in doing it. We may not always need it for
producing wine, we do not think we will, as
soon as the people find out what our wine is,
and like it as well as they do any other wine,
we can compete with any producers in the
world. So it is with raisins, after we get start-
ed and our raisins have a reputation, and the
people want them and feel that they must have
them, they will pay our price; but we have cer-
tain disadvantages, and I think that protection
on the start would be a great advantage to the
fruit industry of this State and.the laborers of
the State.

Mr. Hatch: So far as the Reciprocity treaty
with Mexico is concerned, I think it is of vital
importance, and we should all endorse most
anything that is antagonistic to it.

Mr. Milco: I will state concerning the pro-
tection of sweet oil, and of the prune and the
raisin, from my own experience. I know that
in Dalmatia, which is a great olive country, the
laborers are paid from 15 to 25 cents a day, and
the oil there is worth something in the neigh-
borhood of 50 cents a gallon. Now the freight
from that country to New York these days can-
not be very much, and if we should allow the
oil at any time to come into competition with
our oil in this country, no matter who has got
an olive orchard, he will have to cut it down,
because those people at 50 cents a gallon for
their oil will make money while we will starve.
I cannot get anybody to work for me for less
than $30 per month and board; that is, white
men — men that will stay with me year in and
year out. Of course, I can pick up tramps and
work them two or three days for half a dollar
each, but as soon as they get a little cash they
will go. I want men that will build up this
country, and if we pay white men good wages
we expect those men will stay and grow up
with us, and whenever they make a little stake
they will be looking around for a little piece of
land to plant a little orchard or vineyard or
something of that kind. But if we are going
to allow European goods of that sort to come in
competition with us, such as raisins and prunes,
and particularly sweet oil, unless we have a
protective tariff, as my friend Mr. Wilcox, of
Santa Clara says, for a certain period, until we
educate the American people to our product,
we will not succeed. I will give you a little
experience in my own business, this buhach for
an illustration. When we went to New York
City and offered our production, pure as it was,
to those people over there, they said: "Create a
demand for it; we do not know anything about
your goods; if there is a demand for it we will
buy it; if there is no demand we do not care
about it; we are handling those goods from Eu-
rope and they suit us." That is what they told
us, but just as soon as we made the people un-
derstand, and asked them to go and buy it and
try it, they can't sell those other goods at all.
They have them and they are rotting on their
hands, and so here and every other place you
must be encouraged. We must be given a
chance to introduce our own goods to our own
people, and so the chances will be that when we
get to grow it largely it will probably compen-
sate us for what we will probably have to sell
for less, but to introduce any new goods, no
matter what it is, of the production of this
country, it takes all a man can get out of it to
place it. That is my experience, and unless we

have some protection we will have a hard road
to travel.

Mr. Wilcox: Those who know our prunes
know they sold very readily for 10 cents a
pound up to two years ago; within the last year
the highest quotation in our market has been
five cents. That shows which way the wind
blows, and those who intend to raise prunes
largely, expect protection, if they need it. I
think it safe to ask and receive protection for a
limited time.

Dr. Cougar : It seems to me that in the first
place that we should ascertain how much pure
olive oil is imported to this country, and to ask
Congress to pass a law to have inspectors so as
to know how much cotton seed oil we are using
and how much real olive oil is brought to this
country. I cannot find a bottle of pure imported
olive oil in a drug store, nor grocery house, nor
other places where it is supposed to be kept. I
bought one bottle of olive oil from our presi-
dent, and I defy any person to go into any house
in this city, or to any other place in Southern
California and find an article that compares
with it; in other words you cannot find any
olive oil. Now ought we not to know how much
oil we are receiving from abroad before we ask
Congress to protect this cotton seed oil at the
rate of $2 a gallon ? That is what ought to be
done. Congress ought to pass a bill to find out
the adulterations in the first place, and then we
can legislate to protect that which should be
protected.

Mr. Bettner : There seems to be a difference
of opinion, and whatever action should be taken
on this question, should go before the country
as the unanimous expression of this convention.
Now so far as the memorial refers to the Recip-
rocity treaty I believe that there can be but
one idea, and as a member of that committee,
so far as I am concerned, I am perfectly willing
that our reference to the other matters, except-
ing as to the Reciprocity treaty in that
memorial be withdrawn, and that we go before
the Senate and House of Representatives with
the memorial referring to that Reciprocity treaty
which undoubtedly is unjust, inasmuch as it is
special legislation intended to benefit a certain
set of our citizens at the expense of the other..

Mr. Aiken: As to that, this matter was re-
ferred to the committee and we had to deal with
all this subject of prunes, raisins, olives etc.
The committee, in starting out, thought that
they would place it in the form that is present-
ed before you. Just because one or two gen-
tlemen have very strong ideas upon the subject,
I do not see that that is any very good reason
why we should abandon this great movement.
All of us must aamit that when we come in
competition with foreign labor in the prepara-
tion of these very things, we cannot raise them
or prepare them or sell them' in our markets.
There is the matter of freights: we all know
that two cents a pound would give us more
than the foreigner receives or expects to receive
for his fruit and they have cheaper freight than
we do. Now, to come down to the raisin and
the dried fruit: Put them in the market at 2
cents, and we would have to abandon our
homes and take to the woods and go to logging.
So far as the raisin is concerned, my friend Mr.
Blowers said to me very lately: "I shall de-
stroy my raisin'vineyard and put in alfalfa and
go to raising hogs." That is the situation he is
in. It is time now for us by main force to pro-

CALIFORNIA FRUIT GROWERS,

tect the horticultural industries in this country,
and, as was very well said by Mr. Bettner, the
agriculturists have asked very little and have
received very little in this country. Our pro-
tection is almost nominal, while every manu-
factured article that the agriculturists use is
protected. If that is the policy of this country,
why not share in that protection ? We cer-
tainly ask but very little. They are giving us
now one cent on prunes; we ask in addition
one cent to build up this industry and to
save three millions of money at home, and to
keep up good prices for American labor. Now,
the reason why the price of the prune was re
duced from 10 or 12 cents to five, was because
the foreign prune raisers threw upon this coun-
try a bankrupt stock of fruit last year. They
had an excessive supply, ' and rather than
dump those prunes in the ocean they sent them
over here and sold them for whatever they
would bring, and, of course, broke down our
market. The protection of one cent a pound
was nothing to them, owing to the cheapness
with which they could raise them, and with
the cheap rates of freight across the ocean, they
utterly destroyed our prune market. The
prunes of California 'cannot sell in competition
with foreign prunes at one cent protection, and
I do hope this memorial may be at least adopt-
ed by a large majority of this convention and
given out to the world as the expressed opinion
of the fruit growers of California.

Dr. Kimball : I am opposed myself to the
Mexican Reciprocity treaty, but in regard to
my friend of the Santa Cruz mountains, Mr.
Aiken, I would like to give the convention the
result of a little figuring. That is a prolific
country where he is, and I think I have heard
the gentlemen himself state that he has had
very young trees that bore in the neighborhood
of 600 pounds of prui'cs. I have figured on
the basis of 300 pounds to the tree and 127
trees to the acre, and that will give the as-
tounding result of 38,100 pounds of green fruit
per acre. You all know that prunes dry down
about three to one, and that would give us
about 12,700 pounds of dried fruit per acre,
which, at two f cents a pound, would amount to
the sum of $25'4; and if the people of California
cannot live on the profit of $150 per acre,
throwing out the balance, they had better stop
business. Prune orchards are one of the best
paying things in this State, even at four cents
a pound, and the idea that we should inform
the whole American people, where they are not
able to raise prunes, that we must throw upon
them the penalty of having to pay an excessive
price of two cents more a pound for prunes for
the purposeof putting additional benefits into the
hands of growers of prunes in California, who
have already became rich at it, I think it essen-
tially a wrong idea.

In regard to my friend Mr. Milco, who be-
lieves in a high duty on olive oil, I wish to
make the suggestion, or the inquiry rather, as
to how long he thinks it will take for the peo-
ple of the United States to become great olive
oil consumers if they have to pay a duty of two
dollars a gallon. If there is a protection of two
dollars a gallon on all the olive oil imported,
there is no such thing as a reformation which
will result in using olive oil largely in this conn-
try, and we shall all die of starving before that
time will come. It is well enough to be satis-
fied with a good thing, and the profits of the

people of the East are much smaller than ours.
Notwithstanding you receive small profits on the
production of the orange, yet wisely managed
and wisely conducted, there are profits in your
orange orchards, there are profits in your grape
and raisin interests, for the consumption of
your fresh grape and of your raisin is immense
and it is increasing. It seems to me that the
policy of the people of the State of California
should be to furnish the largest amount of good
fruit at the cheapest possible price, instead of
hunting about and rendering it more difficult to
obtain it, and that this should be the purpose
of every one engaged in this business in Cali-
fornia.

Mr. Rice: As the gentleman said a few min-
utes ago, the real estate agent has his toma-
hawk and scalping )inife, and is figuring the
probable profits he can made on an orchard. I
am very sorry he gave the figures of the profits
in growing prunes. A few years ago a gentle-
man from San Francisco — Mr. Pixley — was
down here, and he saw a gentleman who had
just sold his oranges off of one tree
for $10. Mr. Pixley figured up and said
100 trees to the acre would yield a $1000
per annum, and that on a small place of
just 160 acres, a section of land, his in-
come for the year would be $160,000. It was
not a very big farm, either, and the oranges
were just commencing to bear, so in a few years
it would be much larger, and every real estate
agent in this country (there is only a few of
them, by the way) have been using the figures
ever since, and the latest bulletin I have seen
from the real estate office is doubling on it, be-
cause the ti-ees are growing a great many more
oranges. This argument may be good to a cer-
tain extent. We are making a fortune out of
our prunes and olive oil, and so on, in some in-
Btances, I know one gentleman this year who
has got five acres of Muscat grapes, and he has
got the coin in his pockets— .$1250 for that
raisin crop; $250 per acre. That is a very
handsome profit, but those are not the figures
of the whole raisin crop of Southern California
or of this county for this year. I am afraid
when the balance sheet is made up of the raisin
crop this year, it will not show much more than
$25 profit per acre, and, by the way, one firm
that has 50 acres of raisins out in this range, is
not going to make a big profit on it, and on the
whole there is not so much profit. I know a
gentleman that did not make a cent out of it;
in fact, he lost money. It must be an isolated
ease that can make large gains. It is true that
we view this tarifl" question by our own
opinion, and our local ideas and our political
predilections, and we want to stand by them
through thick and thin; but I would like to see
the farmers stand together on something, even
if it is no more than to protect our interests
here in California. I hope we will all stand to-
gether on this home memorial. I would like to
see it adopted unanimously.

Dr. Chubb: I think that there are reasons
why we can ask for this additional aid in a cer-
tain direction aside from the Mexican Recipro-
city treaty. Now, we have been discussing
here the best fruit for profit to grow in this
State, and we have got all the information pos-
sible as to whether the prune is a profitable
fruit, in the opinion of the men who have gone
thus far in its cultivation. It is with very
I great difficulty that we even get a recommenda-

FIFTH ANNUAL CO^tEf^TiON

tion to plant the prune, and why? They say it
is very doubtful whether it will prove a profit-
able crop in the State. We, in the southern
part of the State, do not know much about
the prune crop but we do know about the
raisin crop, and if the raisin crop were as pro-
fitable as some men seem to imagine, the real
estate agents of this and every other city in the
State of California would not need any other
inducement to bring any amount of immigration
into this country. The fact, is, gentlemen, that
while there are exceptions to all rules, the
raisin industry is not a profitable industry at
this present moment. There are a great many
drawbacks to that as well as to the other fruit
industries of this State, which are only discov-
ered when the man thinks he is going to make a
fortune and starts in making raisins. The for-
eign crop of raisins is produced in a country
where on a general average the labor is only 10
cents a day, and it is not the poor man there
that makes the profit. It is the system that
cramps him down to that and keeps him there,
and the dealers who take the raisins off his
hands at those prices are the men who make the
money off of it. We do not propose that our
American labor shall be reduced to that situa-
tion. We hope to oflFer inducements to Ameri-
can labor to produce these things that are so
largely consumed in our own country, and these
industries for which we ask protection to-day
are not California industries specifically; they
are American industries, they are a part of the
interests of this great commonwealth and must
be protected if they need protection. The idea
that it is an additional burden to consumers in
the East, I believe should be looked at in this
way: We are consuming the products of East-
ern labor which have had protection for years
and which is still planning for protection, and
we are only asking a reciprocal advantage for
our industry. The very fact that we might add
"2 cents to raisins or to prunes is not going to be
an observable item in the consumption of these
articles upon the American continent. It is
not that it adds to the expense of the con-
sumers, but that it is so much more of a pro-
tection against the introduction of foreign fruits.
The question comes then, with this additional
import duty upon foreign fruits, that with all
their advantages and cheap labor can afi"ord to
flood this country with foreign fruits to the dis-
advantage of our own. That is the point we are
endeavoring to make out: it is not that we want
to oppress the Eastern consumer by adding to
the price of consumption, but that we want to
shut out to a certain extent the profits given to
foreign pauper labor and to foreign capital-
ists upon foreign fruits to the disadvantage
of our own. All we ask is that we have the
same free, generous support in the development
of these interests that our Eastern friends on
the Atlantic shore have had to like industries
for years.

Mr. Wilcox: I am proud to represent that
section where the prune industry seems to be
most extensive. In Santa Clara valley it is a
serious question now about the future of the
prune. There was a prune excitement a few
years ago, and everybody who had ground paid
all they asked for the trees and put out the
prune. The highest the prune will bear, that
I know of, is 600 pounds — full-grown trees —
and the ground was irrigated. Now, when a
prune tree gets of a certain hight it does not

grow well. It bears on the ends of the limbs'
and will exhaust itself in time, and that is »
matter that should be takes into consideration,
I remember when prunes sold for $1 a pound;
they came down gradually, but were high until
California brought the prices down, and it is
us that the Eastern consumers have to thank
that the prices are what they are now — so I say
it is safe to give us a little protection at this
time.

Mr. Hixson: There ia no doubt, whether we
get additional duty on prunes or not, that thi»
is one of the great industries of the State, and
it is not going down even if we do not succeed
in getting more protection. I do not pretend
to say but what a cent more a pound would
help us; but suppose we do not get it? I don't
want the people who read these proceedings
here to think we are going to become paupers
if we do not get it. I have received a letter
since I have been in this city, of the sale of
some of Dr. Kimball's prunes at eight cents
a pound. There is no trouble at all about our
raising prunes afid selling them for enough to
give us a profit. All you have got to do is to-
raise good fruit and put it up in good shape.
We can put it up as well as the French, and
they don't expect less than 12| and 15 cents a
pound; and when you get good prunes, like Dr.
Kimball raises, they will sell. If you will just
prune your trees a little more I will guarantee
to sell the fruit. I don't want it understood
that I am not in favor of this memorial, but I
want you to understand that if you do not get
it, there is still a chance for people to make a
living without it.

Mr. Kimball: I move an amendment to that
memorial to strike out ail except what refers
to the Reciprocity treaty. The amendment of
Dr. Kimball was lost.

Upon motion the memorial was unanimously
adopted.

Mr. Bettner offered the following resolution,
which was adopted unanimously :

Resolved, That it is the unanimous sense of the
Fruit-Growers of California here assembled, that the
Mexican Reciprocity treaty, and all other Spanish-
American treaties now before Congress, are opposed
to the fruit interests of California, and other great
agricultural interests of the United States, and that
any legislation tending to carry them into effect
should be opposed by every delegate to the Congress
of the United States from this State, and that the
secretary of this convention be instructed to forward
a copy of this resolution to every member of that
delegation.

True Labels.

Mr. Webb offers the following resolution
which is adopted unanimously:

Resolved, That Congress be requested to so amend
the revenue laws so as to require every article im-
ported, whether dutiable or free, intended for human
consumption to contain a true label of its contents;
it be subject to confiscation by default.
Ad^journraent.

Dr. Chapin: I move that the convention ex-
press its thanks to Los Angeles Pomological
Society and its obliging and efficient committee
for the kind attention and valuable services
they have rendered the fruit-growers of the
State during the sessions of the convention, and
also to the press of Los Angeles, which has made
such thorough and complete reports of the pro-
ceedings of the convention.

The motion was carried, and the convention
adjourned sine die.

Meetings of the State Board of Horticulture.

MinxiteB of the Semi-Annual Meetings of the State Board of Horticulture
for the Fiscal Year Commencing April 1, 1885.

Office State Board of Horticulture, \
April 23, 1SS5. J
This being the regular day for the meet-
ing the members of the board met at 11
o'clock A. M. There were present Messrs. Ell-
wood Cooper, Wm. M. Boggs, A. F. Coronel,
Dr. S. F. Chapin, Dr. E. Kimball, G. N.
Milco, N. R. Peck, General M. G. Vallejo and
A. H. Webb, secretary, being a full board ex-
cepting the Hon. H. C. Wilson, who was ab-
sent. President Cooper took the chair nnd
called the board to order. The secretary then
read the minutes of the preceding meeting,
which were approved as read.

President Cooper then recommended an elec-
tion of officers of the board, which was agreed
to, and ou motion EIlwool Cooper was unani-
mously reelected to the office of president.
On motion General M. G. Vallejo was
unanimously re-elected to the office of treas-
urer, and A. H. Webb was unanimously re-
elected to the office of secretary. General
Vallejo then moved that the board proceed to
the election of the Inspiector of Fruit Pests,
which was agreed to, and the president de-
clared nominations in order, whereupon General
Vallejo nominated Dr. S. F. Chapin, and G.
N. Milco nominated Mr. Matthew Cooke. On
motion of N. Peck the nominations were closed.
President Cooper suggested the propriety of
inviting candidates for Inspector of Fruit Pests
to appear before the board and give their views
as to the duties of that officer.

This was opposed by Commissioners Boggs
and Peck and advocated by Commissioners
Kimball and Milco, and after a full discussion
of the question finally agreed to, and at 12:30
p. M. the board took a recess for one hour.

At 1:30 P. M. the board reconvened, all the
members of the morning session being present.
President Cooper took the chair and called the
board to order. On motion of Dr. Chapin, Mr.
Milco was requested to invite Mr. Matthew
Cooke to appear before the board and give his
views regarding the office of Inspector of Fruit
Pests. Mr. Cooke then appeared, and upon being
introduced, proceeded in a brief and concise
manner, stating that if elected his whole time
and attention would be given exclusively to the
duties of the office and that he would strive to
promote the best interests of the fruit-growers
of the State.

Mr. Cooke spoke of his large and valuable col-
lection of insects, which in his long researches
in entomology he had collected, and which, if
elected, he would place in the office of the
State Board of Horticulture.

Upon the conclusion of Mr. Cooke's remarks
the board went" into executive session and then
proceeded to ballot for Inspector of Fruit Pests
with the following result: Dr. S. F. Chapin re-
ceived five votes, Matthew Cooke received two
votes and EUwood Cooper received one vote,
whereupon the president declared that Dr. S.
F. Chapin having received a majority of all the
votes cast, he was duly elected to the office of
Inspector of Fruit Pests.

Mr. Coronel then spoke of holding the next

meeting of the board in the city of Los Angeles
as being but an act of justice to the southern
section of the State, when Mr. Boggs offered
the following resolution:

Resolved, That the next meeting of the board
shall be held in the city of Los Angeles at such
time and place as shall hereafter be determined,
and be it further

R solved, That there shall also be held at the
same time and place, under the auspices and
direction of this board, the Fifth Annual Fruit
Growers' Convention of California. Mr. Boggs
and Mr, Coronel strongly urged this resolu-
tion and it was unanimously adopted.

The treasurer's report was then read and ap-
proved.

A committee of arrangements for the holding
of the next meeting of the board and the Fifth
Annual Fruit-Growers' Convention at Los An-
geles was then appointed, consisting of Com-
missioners Coronel and Chapin,

The matter of appointing quarantine guar-
dians for the different fruit sections of the Stata
was then discussed at length, and also the effi-
ciency and non-efficiency of the law to prevent
the spreading of fruit and fruit-tree pests and
diseases, approved March 9, 1885: some mem-
bers holding that it would be impossible to
get suitable and competent men who would
care to assume the responsibility of informing
on, and if necessary, proceeding to enforce the
law against their own neighbors, while Mr.
Milco thought otherwise, and urged the neces-
sity and importance of immediate action by the
board in the appointment of quarantine guar-
dians, and a vigorous and determined tffort
made to enforce the law, that the people of the
State might see that the board were endeavor-
ing to do something in furtherance of the duties
they were appointed to perform. This view of
the question finally prevailed and the following
appointments were made:

D wight HoUister for the Sacramento river
district; J. W. Mansfield for road districts, Nos.
1 and 2, iSlapa Co.; E. P. Foster for the fruit dis-
trict comprising the town of Ventura in San
Buenaventura Co. ; W. W. Chapman for the
fruit district contiguous to and including the
town of Petaluma in Sonoma Co.; J. C. Wey-
bright for the fruit district comprising Cal-
istoga and vicinity; John H. Guill for the
fruit district comprising Chico and vicinity in
the county of Butte; Clinton King for the
fruit district comprising Alameda valley, Ala-
meda county; Geo. D. Kellogg for the fruit
district of Newcastle, Placer county; S. A.
Wood for the fruit district including Penryn
and vicinity. Placer county; A. T. Perkins for
the Fruit Vale fruit district, Alameda Co.;
H. G. Ellsworth, for the Niles, Mission, San
Jose, Irvington and Centerville fruit districts,
Alameda Co.; W. H. Robinson, for the fruit
district adjacent to and mcluding the city of
Stockton, San Joaquin Co., and Dr. G. Eisen
for the fruit district including the town of
Fresno, Fresno Co.

In the matter of quarantine guardians for the
city of San Francisco it was assigned to the

STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE.

Inspector of Fruit Pests and the advisory com-
mittee for future action.

A committee consisting of Wm. M. Boggs
and Dr. Kimball was appomted to draft suita-
ble resolutions on the death of the late W. H.
Jessup, which was unanimously adopted with a
standing vote, and the secretary directed to
forward to the bereaved family and the press a
copy of the same. On motion the board ad-
journed to 8:30 the following morning.

Friday, April 24, 1885, 8:30 A. M.— The
board met at the hour appointed, all the
members of the previous day being present.
President Cooper took the chair and called the
board to order. After reading the reports of
the various committees, on motion of Dr. Kim-
ball an advisory committee was appointed con-
sisting of EUwood Cooper, Wm. M. Boggs and
Dr. Kimball, to act during the recess of the
board in the consultation and direction of such
matters as they may deem necessary, EUwood
Cooper being chairman of said committee.

The board then appointed John R. Sweetzer
quarantine guardian for the supervisorial dis-
trict, comprising the town of Novato, Marin
county, when on motion the board adjourned
to meet at their next regular meeting.

The November Meeting.

The board met in the exhibition hall in the
city of Los Angeles, at 1 p. M., on the 19th day
of November, 1885.

There were present Messrs. EUwood Cooper,
H. C. Wilson, Wm. M. Boggs, Dr. E. Kimball,
Dr. S. F. Chapin, G. N. Milco, and A. H.
Webb, secretary. Absent, General M. G.
Valtejoand N. R. Peck, A letter was received
from General Vallejo stating that he was pre
vented from attending the meeting of the board
on account of sickness in his family, and ex-
pressing his regrets.

President Cooper took the chair and called
the board to order. The secretary then read
the minutes of the preceding meeting, which
were amended and then approved.

The president then called for the reports of
committees. The committee appointed to
make arrangements for the Fifth Annual Fruit
Growers' Convention, consisting of Dr. Chapin
and Mr. A. F. Coronel, then made a verbal re-
port through Dr. Chapin, and that portion of
the report referring to the employment of a
stenographic reporter by Messrs. Boggs, Chapin
and Milco, when on motion of Dr. Kimball
the board adjourned to 12:45 o'clock to-morrow.

November 21, 1886, 12:45 p. m.— The board
met as per adjournment. President Cooper in
the chair. Present, Messrs. Cooper, Kimball,
Coronel, Milco, Chapin and Boggs.

The President called the meeting to order,
when Mr. A. K. Whitton, the stenographic re-
porter, appeared before the board and stated
that the work of reporting the proceedings of
the convention was more than he had antici-
pated, and that he would be compelled to charge
for the work in proportion to the amount to be
done. After a full discussion of the subject, it
being conceded that the work was greater than
had been anticipated, it was finally moved by
Mr. Milco, seconded by Mr. Boggs, that Mr.
Whitton be allowed for his services in report-
ing, transcribing and preparing for the printer
the entire proceedings of the convention, the
sum of $265, which was accepted by Mr,
Whitton.

A proposition in writing was then handed in
by Messrs. Dewey & Co. of the Rural Press of
San Francisco, proposing to publish in pamphlet
form the report of the State Board of Horticul-
ture for the year 1885, including the proceed-
ings of the convention, free of charge to the
board and in addition to give the board 1000
copies of said report free of charge, in consider-
ation of the privilege asked for, and on motion
of Mr. Boggs the proposition was accepted by
the board.

The president then suggested a course of
action in regard to the preparation and examin-
ation of essays for the forthcoming report,
when on motion the board adjourned to 4:30

P. M.

The board convened at 4:,30 p. m., President
Cooper in the chair, and all the members of the
morning session present. The president called
the meeting to order, when Mr. Wilson moved
to declare the office of Inspector of Fruit Pests
vacant, which motion was seconded by Mr.
Boggs.

After a discussion of the subject the president
put the question and directed the secretary to
call the roll, and the members to vote as their
names were called. On calling the roll the
vote resulted as follows : Those voting aye
were Messrs. Boggs, Kimball, Milco and Wil-
son. Voting nay. Cooper. Not voting, Messrs.
Coronel and Chapin.

The president then declared the motion car-
ried, and the office of Inspector of Fruit Pests
vacant. On motion of Dr. Kimball, the board
then adjourned to to morrow at 2 p. M.

Saturday, 21, 1885, 2 p. m.— The board met
as per adjournment. President Cooper took
the chair and called the board to order. There
were present Messrs. Cooper, Boggs, Coronel
Kimball, Chapin, Milco and Wilson.

The president declared nominations for the
office of Inspector of Fruit Pests then in order,
whereupon Mr. Bogga nominated Dr. Lots-
peitch, Mr. Wilson nominated Wm. M. Boggs,
Dr. Kimball nominated Matthew Cooke, Mr.
Coronel nominated Alexander Craw, and Dr.
Chapin nominated John Britton. On motion,
the nominations were then closed.

The president directed the members to pre-
pare their ballots, and the secretary to act as
teller. The first ballot resulted as follows :
Dr. Lotspeitch, 1; Wm. M. Boggs, 1; Alexander
Craw, 2; Matthew Cooke, 2; and EUwood
Cooper, 1.

Second ballot — Dr. Lotspeitch, 1 ; Wm. M.
Boggs, 2; Alexander Craw, 1; Matthew Cooke,
2; and John Britton, 1.

Third ballot— Wm. M. Boggs, 3; Alexander
Craw, 1; Matthew Cooke, 2; and John Britton,
1.

Fourth ballot — Wm. M. Boggs, 3; Alexander
Craw, 2; and Matthew Cooke, 2.

Fifth ballot— Wm. M. Boggs, 3; Alexander
Craw, 1; Matthew Cooke, 2; and John Brit.on,
1.

Sixth ballot— Wm. M. Boggs, 4; Matthew
Cooke, 2; and John Britton, 1.

Whereupon the president declared that Mr.
Boggs, having received a majority of all the
votes cast, was duly elected to the office of
Inspector of Fruit Pests.

On motion of Dr. Kimball the board ad-
journed. A. H. Webb, Secretary.

The Fruit Pest Law.

An Act to prevent the spreading of fruit and
fruit tree pesta and diseases, and to provide for
their extirpation (approved March 9th, 1885).
—The people of the State of California, repre-
sented in senate and assembly, do enact as fol-
lows:

Sec. 1, It shall be the duty of every owner,
possessor or occupier of an orchard, nursery, or
land where fruit trees are grown within this
State, to disinfect all fruit trees grown on such
lands infested with any insect or insects, or
the germs thereof, or infested by any contagious
disease known to be injurious to fruit or fruit
trees, before the removal of the same from such
premises for sale, gift, distribution, or transpor-
tation. Fruit boxes which have been used for
shipping fruit to any destination are hereby re-
quired to be disinfected previous to their being
again used for any purpose; all boxes returned
to any orchard, storeroom, salesroom, or any
place used or to be used for storage, shipping
or any other purpose, must be disinfected with-
in three days after their return; and any and
all persons failing to comply with the require-
ments of this section shall be guilty of misde-
meanor. All packages, known as free pack-
ages, must be destroyed or disinfected before
being again used.

Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the owner,
lessee or occupier of an orchard within this
State, to gather all fruit infested by the insects
known as the codlin moth, peach moth, red
spider, plum weevil, and kindred noxious insects,
their larva3 or pupje, which has fallen from the
tree or trees, as often as once a week, and dis-
pose of and destroy the same in such a manner
as to effectually destroy all such insects, their
larvaj or pupae. It shall be the duty of the In-
spector of Fruit Pests, or the quarantine guar-
dian, to inspect fruit packages, and all trees
and plants, cuttings, grafts and scions, known
or believed to be infested by any insect or in-
sects, or the germs thereof, or their eggs, larvas
or pupje, injurious to fruit or fruit trees, or in
fasted with any disease liable to spread con-
tagion, imported or brought into the State from
any foreign country, or from any of the United
States or Territories, and if upon inspection
such fruit or fruit packages are found to be in-
fested or infected, it shall be a misdemeanor to
offer the same for sale, gift, distribution or
transportation unless they shall be first disin-
fected.

Sec. 3. Every person shipping fruit trees,
scions, cuttings, or plants, from any orchard,
nursery, or other place where they were grown
or produced, shall place upon or securely at-

tach to each box, package, or parcel containing
such fruit trees, scions, cuttings, or plants, a
distinct mark or label, showing the name of the
owner or shipper, and the locality where pro-
duced. And any person who shall cause to be
shipped, transported, or removed from any lo-
cality declared by the State Board of Horticul-
ture to be infested with fruit trees or orchard
pests, or infected with contagious diseases in-
jurious to trees, plants, or fruits, unless the
same shall have been previously disinfected,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Disinfection
shall be to the satisfaction of the S ate Board of
Horticulture, or the Inspector of Fruit Pests.
When disinfected, the fact shall be stamped
upon each box, package, or separate parcel of
fruit trees, scions, cuttmgs, or plants ; and any
person who shall cause ,to be shipped, trans-
ported, or removed, any such box, parcel, or
package, from a quarantine district or locality,
not bearing such stamp, shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and may be punished by fine, as pro-
vided in Sec. 6 of this Act. Any person who
shall falsely cause such stamp to be used, or
shall imitate or counterfeit any stamp or device
used for such purpose, shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor.

Sec. 4. It shall be the special duty of each
member of the State Board of Horticulture to
see that the provisions of this Act are carried
out within his respective horticultural district,
and all offenders duly punished.

Sec. 5. All fruit trees infested by any insect
or insects, their germs, larvEe or pupre, or in-
fected by disease known to be injurious to
truit or fruit trees, and liable to spread con-
tagion, must -be cleaned or disinfected before
the first day of April 1885, and on or before the
first day of April of every succeeding year
thereafter. All owners or occupants of lands
on which fruit trees are grown failing to comply
with the provisions of this section, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor, and fined as provided
for in section six of this Act. All fruit, pack-
ages, trees, plants, cuttings, grafts and scions
that shall not be disinfected within 24 hours
after notice by the Inspector of Fruit Pests,
or a duly appointed quarantine guardian, or
any member of the Board of Horticulture, shall
be liable to be proceeded against as a public
nuisance.

Sec. 6. Any person or corporation violating
any of the -provisions of this Act, shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, on
conviction thereof, be punished bj a tine of
not less than $25 nor more than $100 for every

FOUND AT LAST!

Just the Thing for Nurserymen.

THE MOST COMPLETE AND PRACTICAL DEVICE OUT.

CARROLL'S

Tree ifl PM TfiiMiir,

Timothy Carroll, of Anaheim, Los Angeles
County, has invented, and obtained patents
through Dewey & Co.'s Patent Agency, for a
Tree Transplanter that is destined to work a
revolution in the old-fashioned methods of taking
up trees for transplanting . It works to a charm ;
is easily handled; anyone can use it. It leaves
a compact mass of earth around the roots, ready
for sacking to ship or to set out.

With this device one man can easily take up
1000 trees in a day. With the large size two
men can take up 2000 trees, and with the small
size 3000 trees per. day.

For Paeticulars, Address

^ ^^^^::^^^ Timothy Carroll,

Inventor and Patentee, ANAHEIM, LOS ANGELES CO., CAL.

ANAHEIM EVERGREEN NURSERIES

200 Yards West of Railroad Depot,

Anaheim, Los Angeles Co., Cal. TIMOTHY CARROLL, Proprietor.

EVERGREEN TREES A SPECIALTY.

All Trees in boxes taken up with Transplanter, and ready to set.
No Trowell or knife needed. Each plant separate and ready to set.

"THE RIPE FRUIT CARRIER."

Similar to the Egg Carrier, but Ventilated, Adjustable, etc.
IS* TrLTJDEa TO 3xr.<^]vcx:,

For in it RIPE Oranges, Peaches, Pears, delicate Apples, Tomatoes, Japanese
Persimmons, Pigs, Etc., are conveyed in perfection.

ALL WRAPPING, DRYING-HOUSES, SIZING MACHINES, Etc., are DISPENSED WITH.

IT CLASSES THE FRUIT, M*KES IT UNIFORM THROUGH THE CRATE, and, each specimen being in a
cell to itself, acts as a brace; so that a slatted crate is strong and stable, even with lighter head pieces than are
used In ordinary packages.

ORANGE CRATE

"With One End Unslatted. Showing Cover
Upturned.

Contains 8 Fillers
^ and Two Covers.

Fillers made with
Cells of any size.

FKUIT MUST FIT

TIGHTLY IN

CELL,.

PRICE OF FILLERS,
$27,50 per 1,000,,,'

including 250 Covers,
making 125 Cases, hold-
ing 200 bushels.

tS'"TJ].E RIPE FRUIT CARRIER" has conveyed RIPE Tomatoes more than 1,000 miles in perfect order
they remain so more than 10 days after delivery. And IN IT ONLY have RIPE Peaches been successfully shipped
from the United States to Europe WITHOUT ICE.

tS" SEND FOR CIRCULAR AND PROOF.

JENKINS, McGUIRE & CO.,

BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES.

GRAPE VINE TWINE,

Made Especially for Tying up Grape Vines. Put up in 4-lb. Balls.

TUBBS 8d CO.,

611 & 613 Front St., San Francisco.

(IPEfkuil Q

Bushel Crates are
recommended for all
Fruits except Oranges,
and can be made at
home of three-quarter
or inch plank, and
common laths.

(We also recommend
that Every Shipper
or Packer put his
o\rn address on
every packagfe.)

ARRJER'^

RYMEN! WHITNEY'S TREE DIGGER.

One of the most important labor and time-
saving implements that inventive genius has
enabled the Nurseryman to call to his assist-
ance is the TREE DIGGER.

The machine will do the work of twenty
men, and do it better, quicker, and more
satisfactorily, getting better and more roots
than is possible with a spade. The roots are
smoothly cut (not haggled with a spade), and
of an even length, which makes packing into
cases and bales much easier and more
economical. For sale bv

Hawley Bros. Hardware Ciy., Sole Agents for California.

Adriance "Buckeye" Mowers and Eeapers. Hodge's Headers. Perkins' Windmills, Etc^

SEND FOR CATALOGUE.

Windmills, Horse- Powers, Tanks, Pumps,

— AND ALL KINDS OF —

PUMPING MACHINERY.

Manufacturing Works and Office:

51 Beale Street, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

P. W. KROGH & CO.,

Inventors, Patentees, Manufacturers and Sole Proprietors.

SEKD FOE ILLUSTEATED CATALO&UE & PRICE LIST,

^ UIJRN I NCr URANUS
— M ^n i£: uv —

A.E.RIDLEY&CO.

:i5^

HRUSHES INIiSPOTS&c

FRUIT GROWERS, ATTENTION!

Orchard and Vineyard Singletree.

la a sure preventive against damage to Trees or Vines by care-
less driving, and will save its cost every day it is ia use, besides
relieving ail anxiety for the safety of the bark. A glance at the
accompanying illustration fully explains the principle of this neiv
and novel Singletree.

Any common set of wagon traces can be used, which are hitched
to a hook, and passing through a loop of iron (open at bottom to
facilitate hitching) around the end of a Singletree, they furnish
the protection so much needed in plowing an orchard. To see one
will convince the most skeptical that for simplicity and effective-
ness this Singletree is the best made.

Made out of Best Seasoned Hickory. Price, $1
eacli, or $ 13 per dozen. For Sale by all Country Dealers, or

J. T. RICHARDSON,

Dealer In Agricultural Implements,

335 and 337 N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, Cal •

FRUIT DRIER ON EXHIBITION.

One of the Meeker Sun Fruit Driers, with all the latest improvements sug-
gested by the experience of last season, is now on exhibition at the factory,
5th and Bryant streets, on and after Monday, January 25th.

As now arranged we consider it much the most perfect and economical of
any of the various Driers to which the attention of fruit-growers has been
called. Its various productions are the perfection of purity and excellence,
and at the same time the most economical in cost of production. Fruit-
growers are invited to examine and test the Drier and the fruit prepared in
it. Those using this drier last season realized handsome profits on their fruit.

GEORGIA STREET

18 Georgia St., Los Angeles,

JAS. T. BROWN, Proprietor.

VaJu^'^' ''"

PRICE LIST OF BIRDS AND EGGS:

Kind of Fowl.

Plymouth Rock

Brown Les;horn 13

White Leghora 13

Houdan 13

W. F. Black Spanish 13

Croad Lang^shans , 13

Light Brahmas 13

S. S Hamburgs 13

Black Hamburgs 13

Bronze Turkeys 9

eS" Single Birds, from S3 to ^8. Birds, per pair, from |5 to $12. Trios, from $10 to

i3 00
8 00
3 00
3 50
3 50
3 50
3 50
3 50

3 50

4 00

Eggs.

$5 00
5 00

5 00

6 00
6 00
6 00
6 00
6 CO

6 00

7 00
$20.

Eggs.

Price.

$10 00
10 00
10 00
12 50
12 50
12 50
12 50
12 50
12 60

R. J. TRUMBULL.

CHARLES W. BEEBE.

R. J. TRUMBULL & CO.,

GROWERS, BMPORTERS

AND DEALERS IN

SEEDS, TREES AND PLANTS,

419 and 421 Sansome Street,

Between Clay and Commercial, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL,

ESTABLISHED 1863.

TIZOS. MEHERZ2T,

Importer, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
A Large Stock of AUSTRALIAN PERENNIAL RYE GRASS at Reduced Rates.

EVERGREEN MILLET, ALFALFA, RED AND WHITE CLOVER,

Timothy and Orchard Grass, Kentucky Bkie Grass, Hungarian Millet Grass, Red
Top, etc. Also a Large and Choice Collection of

BULBS, ROSES, MAGNOLIAS, PALMS, Etc., AT REDUCED PRICES.
i^"Budding and Pruning Knives, Greenhouse Syringes, Hedges and Pole Shears.

(P.O. Box 2059. THOS. MEHERIN, 516 Battery St., S. P.

SS''Price List Mailed on Application. °®i

AGENT FOR R. D. FOX'S NURSERY.

Booth's Sure Death Squirrel Poison

For Squirrels, Gophers, Birds, Mice, Etc.

^f ^Endorsed by the Grange and Farmers wherever used.'^Jk

The Cheapest and Best.

Put up in 1-pound, 5-pound, and 5-gallon Tins.

Every Can "Warranted.

This Poison has been on the marlcet less than two years, yet in
this short time it has gained a reputation of "Sure Death,"
equaled by none. By its merits alone, with very little advertising,
it is now used extensively all over the Pacific Coast, as well as ia
Australia and New Zealand.

SEND FOR TESTIMONIAIiS.

MANUFACTURED BT

p.tentea^^a^^^^'' A. R. BOOTH, Seh Luis Obispo, Cal.

For Sale by all Wholesale and Retail Dealers. Special Terms on Quantities in Bulk.

S -A. 33^/1 "CJ E! Xj :^I=IE30IS.,

SUCCESSOR TO
IMPORTER AND DEALER IN

GARDEN and VEGETABLE SEEDS,

Alfalfa, Timothy, Red and White Clover, Millet, Flax, Red Top, Blue
Grass, Lawn Grass, Orchard and Rye Grass, Bird Seeds, etc. Imported
Red and Blue Gum and French Mangel Wurzel and Sugar Beet Seed.

I No. 317 WASHINGTON STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

CARBOLIC SHEEP WASH, 80 Per Cent Strong.

POWDERED CAUSTIC SODA, 10-Pound Tins, 98 Per Cent Strong,

For Sale by

T. W. JACKSON & CO., Manufacturing Agents,

804 California Street, San Francisco, Cal.

HAAS BROS.,

Importers and Wholesale

JoL O C JBj JoL S.

SOLE AGENTS ON THE PACIFIC COAST FOR

AMERICAN LYE COMPANYS LYE.

Webber's High Class Centrifugal Pumps.

GREGORY'S

Spraying Pump.

The above represents the only Pump which has been
adopted by the State Horticultural Society. It is of
California manufacture and entirely different intern-
ally from a light Eastern Pump which resembles it very
closely externally. The GREGORY Pump is the only
one which will stand the corrosive action of the alkalies
m the various insecticide mixtures.

These Pumps are designed for water supplj ,
Irrigating and Draining land, and all places
where a large body of water has to be elevated
to a moderate hight quickly, cheaply and ef-
fectively.

It is absurd to presume that the same pump
will do equally good work at high or low lifts;
therefore, several varieties of these pumps are
manufactured, especially constructed for the
hight the water is to be raised and the work re-
quived.

The Webber is unquestionably the HIGH-
EST CLASS CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IN THE
WORLD.

A^Send for full Illustrated Catalogue and
Price List to the Pacific Coast Agents.

S. p. GHEGOH.V <& CO.

2 and 4 California Street. S. F.

.C17
1885
Copy 1

JAW 28 181 i

3T WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORI

NEW BRADLEY VINEYARD PLOW,

Price, with one extra share, $15,00. Especially
adapted for cultivation of VINEYARDS and ORCHARDS.
This is one cf the atect things out, and is the most com
plete tool cf its kind in the market. It has crooked stan-
•^ard and shifiing handle, so that it can be run clote under
e v'nes without brtaKing or injuring them. There has

been a large num-
ber placed in Cal •
ifornia during the
past season and all

Gave the

i?LP»EX HARROW.

The Best Ullage Tool. Indtstructible.

THE BEST FOR VINEYARDS AND ORCHARDS.

saves the use of a plow. Every one guaranteed.

Sent on trial, if not satisfactirv may be

returned. Price, $40.00.

Best of
Satisfaction.

NEW Mccormick no. 2 mower.

The Best in the World !

4} Feet Cut $ 90 00

4h Feet Cut J 00 00

TJHEi-X- ILj:£3.i^X> THE! T7VC:>HXjiI> !

McCormick Daisy Reaper.

CANNOT BE EXCELLED.

5 FeetCut $175 00

Kew McOormick Steel Binder.

IMPROVED FOR 1886.
6 Feet, $250 00 7 Feet, $360 00

THE MIIBURN WAGON.

Is Cuariintced. SUY IT.

MILBDRN HOLLOW IRON AXLE WAGON.

Lightest, Strongest and Cheapest
Wagon in the World.

US' Agents for David Bradley ManufacturiDg Company.

A full stock of Plows, Cultivators and Harrows

on hand. Also, a full line of Extras. Ci'-

ders will have prompt attention.

Address : TRUMAN, ISHAM & HOOKER, 421 to 427 Market Street, S. F., Cal,